TREASURY

Immigration

Peter Lilley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the contribution of immigration to economic growth.

Ruth Kelly: The economic analysis and projections set out in the Treasury paper on Trend Growth, published alongside the Budget in April 2002, imply a contribution from net migration of about 0.4 percentage points towards the 2¾ per cent. annual trend rate of output growth. Subsequent updates have not changed this.

Energy Efficiency

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans his Department has to use the tax system to encourage energy efficiency in housing.

David Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to report on his Department's public consultation on fiscal measures to support energy efficiency.

John Healey: The Government are already making extensive use of the tax system to encourage energy-efficient housing. We have introduced a reduced rate of 5 per cent. VAT for certain contractor-installed energy-saving materials, and grant-funded installation of central heating systems, heating appliances, factory-insulated hot water tanks, micro-CHP and renewable energy heating systems. The HM Treasury/DEFRA consultation on the use of economic instruments to promote household energy efficiency closed on 24 October 2003. The Government received 126 responses, and published a summary of responses on the Treasury web site on 11 December. Responses are being carefully considered as part of the Government's development of policy in this area. In the pre-Budget Report (Cm 6042), the Government announced that we believe that there is a case for further use of economic instruments as part of a package of measures to promote energy efficiency.
	As a part of this work, the Government are continuing to examine the case for a domestic business tax allowance, and to explore the potential for capital allowances and VAT measures to help deliver this.

Trade Deficits

Robert Walter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the long term effect on the UK economy of continuing trade deficits.

Ruth Kelly: The current scale of the UK trade deficit needs to be viewed in perspective. In recent years, the UK economy has been growing faster than many of our key trade partners, particularly those in the Euro area, so boosting our trade deficit. Nevertheless, the UK's trade and current account deficits have remained well below previous peaks.

Financial Services Authority

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the supervision of banks by the Financial Services Authority.

Ruth Kelly: As the right hon. Gentleman is aware, responsibility for the supervision of banks moved from the Bank of England to the Financial Services Authority on 1 June 1998. The legislative framework for the regulation of banks was subsequently reformed under the Financial Services and Markets Act, which came into effect on 1 December 2001. The regime for prudential supervision of banks is kept under constant review, both at home and internationally, in forums such as the European Union and the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision.

Central Government Spending

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of gross administrative expenditure in central government as a proportion of total managed expenditure was for (a) 1996–97 and (b) 2003–04. [R]

Gordon Brown: The most appropriate measure of comparison between this year and 1996–97 is for planned expenditure on central administration as a percentage of total government spending, using the measures available at the time. This yields a figure which is 4.4 per cent. for 2003–4 and falling in future years, against a planned 4.9 per cent. in 1996–97. We cannot yet compare final out-turns because figures are not yet available for this year but, based on previous years' experience, we would expect this year's out-turn to be lower than the 4.6 per cent. of total government spending out-turn figure for 1996–97.

Economic Indices (Wales)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) RPI, (b) RPI-X and (c) CPI was for Wales in each year since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Bill Wiggin, dated 29 January 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the (a) RPI, (b) RPI-X and (c) CPI was for Wales in each year since 1997. I am replying in his absence. (151761)
	The RPI, RPIX and CPI are calculated and published for the United Kingdom only. Comparable indices for Wales, or any of the regions or countries of the UK, are not produced because the data required to make such calculations to an appropriate degree of accuracy are not available.
	However, ONS published updated regional price levels in November 2003, in an article entitled Relative Regional Consumer Price Levels in 2003, available from the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/article.asp?ID=612
	The data represent part of a longer-term project to develop regional price data, and reflect the need for this information expressed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his 2003 Budget Statement.

Endowment Mis-selling

Huw Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about the mis-selling of endowment policies.

Ruth Kelly: We receive occasional representations about the mis-selling of endowment policies. However, the Financial Ombudsman Service established under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 deals with individual disputes between consumers and financial firms.

Housing Market (Wales)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the housing market in Wales.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury monitors regional housing market developments, and from time to time reports on them. For example Box A4 in the 2002 pre-Budget report (CM 5664) discussed regional house price differentials. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's "House Price Index Statistical Release" (available at http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pns//pnattach/20040004/7.pdf) includes regular reporting of regional housing market developments.

Low Pay

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his strategy to tackle areas of persistent low pay.

John Healey: Since its introduction in April 1999 the National Minimum Wage (NMW) has been increased by 25 per cent. to £4.50 per hour for workers aged 22 and over. Together with the NMW, the reforms to income tax and National Insurance Contributions and the introduction of tax credits have boosted in-work incomes for households on low and moderate earnings.

Mutual Insurance Companies

Andrew Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the regulatory environment as it affects mutual insurance companies.

Ruth Kelly: The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 sets the overall regulatory framework for mutual insurance companies. Under the Act, the FSA has operational responsibility for regulating these companies.

Personal Debt

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with representatives of the Bank of England regarding the sustainability of current levels of personal debt.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury and the Bank of England hold regular meetings in a number of contexts to discuss a wide range of economic issues.

Security Passes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many security passes have been reported as (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in his Department in the last 12 months.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Winchester (Mr. Oaten) on 26 January 2004, Official Report, column 115–16W.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reform Stamp Duty Land Tax on leases.

Dawn Primarolo: All tax rates and thresholds are kept under review and can be changed as part of the annual Finance Bill. I cannot anticipate what my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer might announce in this year's Budget.
	Following consultation earlier this year, substantial changes were made to the Stamp Duty Land Tax charge on the rental element of new leases which will help all tenants and will be of special benefit to small and medium sized businesses.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters to the Paymaster General from honourable Members complaining about the operation of the new tax credits have been answered by (a) civil servants and (b) the Paymaster General.

Dawn Primarolo: Under long-standing arrangements, Members' letters to Treasury Ministers on operational matters are normally forwarded to the Heads of the Offices concerned to reply direct, unless the Member indicates that he or she requires a Ministerial reply.
	Since March 2003 around 1,500 such letters from hon. Members to Treasury Ministers have been referred to the Tax Credits Office in Great Britain for answer by officials.

World Debt

David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals for debt relief mechanisms for poor countries are being considered for the period after the highly indebted poor countries initiative has ended.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne).

NORTHERN IRELAND

Air Transport

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with his colleagues in the Department for Transport in relation to the implications for Northern Ireland of the Department's White Paper, The Future of Air Transport; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: The White Paper, The Future of Air Transport, reflects the overarching perspective of the Northern Ireland administration on the key issues surrounding the development of air transport within the United Kingdom, as they affect Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland administration's input to the production of the White Paper reflected the cross-cutting and inter-departmental character of the issues previously consulted on during 2002. A senior official from the Northern Ireland Civil Service was a member, together with representatives from other regions and the Department for Transport, of the steering group that produced the White Paper. The implications of the White Paper for Northern Ireland's three commercial airports are currently being considered locally and in consultation with the Department for Transport within the 'balanced approach' of economic development, people's desire to travel, environmental impact, safety and security and the continuation of air services to the major London airports.

Anti-Social Behaviour Orders

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of the availability of anti-social behaviour orders in tackling such behaviour in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: In considering measures to tackle anti-social behaviour in Northern Ireland, and the impact of this, I have been informed by Home Office research in England and Wales. Research found that in many areas anti-social behaviour orders were considered by those using them to be an effective response to such behaviour. Reported benefits were a reduction in the behaviour targeted and positive outcomes in relation to public confidence and improved quality of life.

Car Parking Charges

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by what percentage car park charging has changed in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Roads Service to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Benefit Fraud

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were convicted of benefit fraud in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available; what the average sentence was; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: In the 2002–03 financial year a total of 325 people where prosecuted for benefit fraud and in the current year 2003–04 to date a further 200 people have been prosecuted. A breakdown of the sentences passed is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of people Average sentence/Fine  
		
		
			 2002–03   
			 Probation 9 6–12 months 
			 Suspended sentences 21 6 weeks-18 months 
			 Conditional discharge 83 12 months-2 years 
			 Community service 43 109 hours 
			 Fines(1) 178 £191 
			
			 2003–04   
			 Probation 8 2–18 months 
			 Suspended sentences 12 1–5 months 
			 Conditional discharge 78 6 months-3 years 
			 Community service 20 126 hours 
			 Fines 82 £209 
		
	
	(1) 9 of the 178 also received a fine in addition to either a conditional discharge or community service)
	In 2002–03 a further 24 people received a formal caution and 67 people accepted administrative penalties totalling £18,255. In 2003–04 to date 22 people received a formal caution and 94 have accepted administrative penalties totalling £32,828.

Child Poverty

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress in Northern Ireland in reducing child poverty.

John Spellar: New Targeting Social Need (TSN) is the Government's main policy for tackling poverty and social exclusion in Northern Ireland. New TSN aims to tackle poverty and social exclusion by targeting efforts and available resources within existing departmental programmes towards people, groups and areas in greatest social need.
	An independent external evaluation of New Targeting Social Need has now been completed. This assessed the way in which the policy had been implemented and examined its impact. The outcome of the evaluation will feed into future thinking on New TSN and will soon be the subject of public consultation.
	Presently in Northern Ireland, the Government are placing significant emphasis on initiatives that are focused on the early years of life, such as the Sure Start and Book Start and the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme. These complement mainstream service programmes.
	Alongside these initiatives the Government are developing long-term strategies dealing with child poverty. To this end the Children's and Young People's unit of The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) is currently developing a 10-year strategy of which child poverty is one of the key themes. The focus of the strategy is poverty, participation, protection and provision. As part of the development of this strategy, a multi agency group in November 2003 produced a strategic objective and related measures and outcomes specifically tackling child poverty. The group also considered how to take this forward and how the Children's Strategy should dovetail with the wider New TSN strategy (current and future) for tackling poverty and social exclusion in Northern Ireland.
	A total of £36 million has been made available through the Children's Executive Programme Fund with the specific aim of supporting children in need and young people at risk. £17 million has already been allocated for projects involving children and young people in areas including health, education, play and working with children at risk.
	Recent research commissioned by OFMDFM entitled "Low Income Households in Northern Ireland" shows that the concentration (proportion of those in poverty who are children) of children in poverty between 1990–94 has dropped from 36 per cent. to 33 per cent. between 1999–2002. A copy of the report has been placed in the House Library and it can also be viewed on the internet at http://www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/research/lowincome/index.htm

Cot Deaths

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cot deaths there were in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years; and what advice is given by his Department to prevent such deaths.

Angela Smith: The information requested, based on the latest years for which figures are available, is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of cot deaths 
		
		
			 1999 11 
			 2000 12 
			 2001 10 
		
	
	Since the early 1990s parents have been advised of the risk factors associated with cot deaths and how to avoid them through the Reduce the Risk Cot Death leaflets. Last July my Department issued an updated leaflet to parents on how they can reduce the risks. The new leaflet was developed after consultation with health professionals and the Foundation for Sudden Infant Deaths and contains advice on the safest sleeping arrangements for babies.
	My Department continues to monitor research findings and will issue revised guidance as appropriate.

Digital Hearing Aids

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals were provided with digital hearing aids in 2003; and what estimate he has made of how many others would benefit from these devices.

Angela Smith: The phased introduction of Digital Hearing Aids (DHAs) commenced in October 2003. Information on the provision of hearing aids is not collected routinely by the Department. Health and Social Services Trusts with Audiology departments will shortly be asked to provide information on the provision of DHAs for the period October 2003 to the end of January. Information will thereafter be collected on a quarterly basis.
	It is estimated that there are over 100,000 hearing aid users in Northern Ireland. Research suggests that digital hearing aids (DHAs) may benefit 80 per cent. of hearing aid users.

Doctors (Working Hours)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of (a) junior house officers, (b) senior house officers and (c) other doctors have weekly workloads in breach of the EU working time directives.

Angela Smith: From the latest monitoring of New Deal compliance, 91 per cent. of junior doctors (this includes Pre-Registration House Officers, Senior House Officers and Specialist Registrars) are already working and being trained in less than 56 hours per week and are thus meeting the requirements of the European Working Time Directive which will come into effect in August 2004. It is not possible, without disproportionate cost, to disaggregate the figures in the form requested.
	The new consultant contract, which is being introduced from April 2004, aims to cap the average working week for consultants at 48 hours to ensure compliance with the Directive.

Drownings

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many drownings there were in Northern Ireland in 2003.

Ian Pearson: Mortality statistics for 2003 have not been fully collated and therefore the latest available data relate to 2002. There were 28 deaths caused by drowning 1 registered in Northern Ireland in 2002.
	1 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code T75.1.

Elective Surgery

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress on protected elective surgery centres in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: A number of protected elective facilities have been established, at Altnagelvin, Causeway, Erne, Lagan Valley and Mater hospitals. The unit at Altnagelvin hospital opened in 2001 and currently treats approximately 1,100 patients per year. The protected elective centre at Causeway hospital opened in November 2003 and is projected to provide 920 surgical procedures per annum. The unit at Lagan Valley hospital was opened in February 2003 and treats around 850 patients a year. The Mater hospital's protected facility opened in January 2003 and is anticipated to treat 1,100 patients per year. In addition, a new day procedures unit opened at Erne hospital in December 2003 and it will provide for an additional 300 day cases per annum.
	Work is also currently being undertaken to establish a protected elective centre at South Tyrone hospital.

Game Licences

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many game licences were issued in Northern Ireland in (a) 1985, (b) 1990, (c) 1995, (d) 2000 and (e) in each year since 2001.

John Spellar: The number of game licences issued in Northern Ireland were:
	
		
			 Year Number of Licences 
		
		
			 1985 (2)2,000 
			 1990 1,722 
			 1995 (2)1,000 
			 2000 958 
			 2001 983 
			 2002 1,018 
			 2003 1,251 
		
	
	(2) This is an estimation based on the value of licences sold.

GM Crops

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what applications to grow GM crops have been made in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: There has only ever been one application to grow GM crops in Northern Ireland. This was made in 1996 by the Department of Agriculture to carry out a small field-trial on potatoes. This application was dealt with through the regulatory process established under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 and the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1994. Papers are available for viewing by the public on a statutory Public Register at the Department of the Environment's Environmental Policy Division, River House, 48 High Street, Belfast, BT1 2AW. Telephone 028 90257362.

High Hedges

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will include measures to deal with high hedges in his consultation on tackling anti-social behaviour in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The current consultation on anti-social behaviour measures is focused on such behaviour linked to criminality. Therefore, it does not cover hedges between neighbours.

GP Vacancies

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many general practitioner vacancies there were in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; and what steps he is taking to reduce such figures.

Angela Smith: There is generally no problem filling practice vacancies in Northern Ireland. The Central Services Agency (CSA) only hold information on GP vacancies where they were required to intervene to fill the vacancy. This typically occurs if the vacancy has arisen in what was previously a single-handed GP Practice. Otherwise the remaining GPs within the practice, as independent contractors, advertise and fill the position independently.
	The number of vacancies notified to, and filled by, CSA are shown in the table.
	
		GP vacancies notified to Central Services Agency: 1997–2003
		
			 Year Vacancies reported to Central Services Agency Vacancies filled by Central Services Agency 
		
		
			 1997 3 3 
			 1998 1 1 
			 1999 0 0 
			 2000 0 0 
			 2001 1 1 
			 2002 1 1 
			 2003 3 3

Hare Coursing

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer given by the hon. Member for Basildon (Angela Smith), on 11 December 2003, Official Report, columns 577–78W, on hare coursing, what sources other than the principal sources cited in his answer he used to reach his decision to refuse a licence to a coursing club to net hares.

Angela Smith: In addition to the two principal sources of information referred to in my previous answer of 11 December 2003, Official Report, column 578W, an unpublished research thesis by Karina Dingerkus, completed in 1997, provided contextual data reporting a decline in the population of the Irish hare in Northern Ireland over the preceding years. Her thesis, entitled "The Distribution and Ecology of the Irish Hare Lepus timidus hibernicus in Northern Ireland", is lodged in the Science Library of the Queen's University of Belfast. Her findings were summarised and discussed in the report of the 2002 Survey carried out by Dr. Jane Preston and others.

Hospital Doctors

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which grades of hospital doctors will be required to undergo an appraisal process in 2004 in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: All consultant medical staff (including consultants in public health medicine and consultant clinical academic staff) and non-consultant career grade doctors (including Staff Grade doctors and Associate Specialists) will be required to undergo an appraisal in 2004.
	Arrangements for the appraisal of doctors in the training grades are currently being developed, and it is anticipated that all such doctors will also be appraised in 2004.

Integrated Schools

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of pupils in education in Northern Ireland are being educated at integrated schools; and what the percentage was in each of the last five academic years.

Jane Kennedy: Information for the 2003–04 school year is not yet available. The percentages for the last five academic years are as follows.
	
		
			 Academic year Percentage 
		
		
			 1998–99 3.3 
			 1999–2000 3.7 
			 2000–01 4.0 
			 2001–02 4.3 
			 2002–03 4.6

Maghaberry Prison

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recent disorder at HM Prison Maghaberry.

Jane Kennedy: I utterly condemn the serious rioting and wanton destruction of prison property that took place in Maghaberry on 14 to 15 January. It is to the great credit of prison staff that the incident was brought to a conclusion without serious injury to staff or prisoners.
	Charges under prison rules have been laid against all those involved who are still in custody.

Maghaberry Prison

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the financial costs resulting from overnight disturbance by prisoners at Maghaberry Prison on 14 to 15 January.

Jane Kennedy: The estimated cost of the damage caused during the disturbance on 14 to 15 January is £100,000 to £150,000.

Maze Prison (Redevelopment)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for the redevelopment of the former HM Prison Maze site; and if he will make a statement on progress.

Ian Pearson: The Government's aim is to regenerate this key strategic site to bring the maximum possible social and economic benefit to Northern Ireland. A consultation panel has been established to provide advice on the best way forward. The panel is currently engaged in a public consultation process to generate ideas for the redevelopment of the site. The consultation will end on 29 February, and the panel is expected to submit its final report in May.

Minority Ethnic Groups (Harassment/Bullying)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reports he has received of bullying and harassment experienced by members of minority ethnic groups who are pupils, students and staff at schools and educational establishments in Northern Ireland; and what actions have been taken as a result.

Jane Kennedy: The Department of Education does not collect information about bullying or harassment of pupils who are members of minority ethnic groups at schools in Northern Ireland. However, the Department recognises that bullying in whatever form and for whatever reason has no place in schools. The Department has issued comprehensive guidance to all schools about how to tackle bullying. Further, the Education and Libraries (NI Order 2003), which came into operation on 1 April 2003, places a duty on all grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland to have a specific anti-bullying policy and to draw up measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils.
	The Department of Education has received no reports of bullying or harassment of staff at schools in Northern Ireland who are members of minority ethnic groups. Schools have a Code of Practice on Harassment which would be applied should any such case arise.
	The Department for Employment and Learning has received no reports of bullying and harassment experienced by members of minority ethnic groups who are students and staff at the universities, teacher training colleges and further education colleges in Northern Ireland.

Mobile Phone Masts

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his Department's policy is on the construction and location of mobile phone masts in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Department of the Environment's prevailing policy guidance for the development of telecommunication masts is set out in Planning Policy Statement 10 "Telecommunications", published in April 2002. This statement is available on the Planning Service website at: http: www.planningni.gov.uk/AreaPlans Policy/PPS/PPS.htm and a copy has been placed in the Library.

NHS

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many health care professionals from outside the United Kingdom were recruited to work in the NHS in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; what positions they held; and what their nationality was.

Angela Smith: Information on the total numbers of non-UK health care professionals recruited into the NHS could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Information is available, however, on the numbers of staff that were recruited from outside the UK as part of specific recruitment drives since 2000; No medical or professional and technical staff were recruited in this way during this period . The number of nursing staff, their grade and nationality are shown in Tables 1 and 2 as follows.
	
		Table 1: The number of non-UK nurses recruited to work in the NHS in Northern Ireland in each year since 2000 by grade
		
			 Year Positions held Number recruited by HSS(3) Trusts 
		
		
			 2000 Registered Nurse 8 
			 Total  8 
			 2001 Registered Nurse 94 
			  Pre-Registered Nurse 33 
			 Total  127 
			 2002 Nursing Staff 12 
			  Basic Grade Nurses 33 
			  Staff Nurse (no grade given) 42 
			  Enrolled Nurse C 40 
			  Staff Nurse E 5 
			  Staff Nurse D 11 
			  Qualified Nurse 6 
			  Registered Nurse 96 
			  Pre-registered Nurse 27 
			 Total  272 
			 2003 Nursing Staff 12 
			  Basic Grade Nurses 18 
			  Staff Nurse 48 
			  Enrolled Nurse C 46 
			  Staff Nurse D 28 
			  Registered Nurse 78 
			  Pre-registered Nurse 45 
			 Total  275 
		
	
	(3) Health and Social Services
	
		Table 2: The number of non-UK nurses recruited to work in the NHS in Northern Ireland in each year since 2000 by nationality
		
			 Year Nationality Number recruited by HSS(4) Trusts 
		
		
			 2000 Australian 8 
			 Total  8 
			 2001 Australian 23 
			  Philippine 104 
			 Total  127 
			 2002 Philippine 211 
			  Indian 36 
			  Chinese 1 
			  Other country 24 
			 Total  272 
			 2003 Indian 98 
			  Philippine 177 
			 Total  275 
		
	
	(4) Health and Social Services

Night-time Flying

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many flights (a) arriving and (b) departing (i) Belfast City Airport, (ii) Belfast International Airport and (iii) City of Derry Airport were in breach of the night-time flying curfew in the last year for which figures are available.

John Spellar: Belfast City Airport operates under a planning agreement, which governs operations, including flight hours, at the airport. The main elements controlling flight hours are: "permitted hours" between 6.30 am and 9.30 pm for normal scheduled operations; "extended hours" between 9.30 pm and 11.59 pm for delayed scheduled operations; and, "prohibited hours" between 9.30 pm and 6.30 am, which prohibits scheduled operations. During the calendar year 2003, six scheduled flights, four arrivals and two departures, used the airport between 12 midnight and 12.30 am during the "prohibited hours".
	Belfast International Airport and City of Derry Airport have no night-time operating restrictions placed upon them.

Nursing Vacancies

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nursing vacancies there are in the province; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The number of vacancies as at 30 September 2002 and 30 September 2003 are given in the table.
	
		Number of nursing, midwifery and health visiting vacancies within all trusts as at 30 September 2002 and 30 September 2003
		
			 Trust WTE(5) vacancies as at 30 September 2002 WTE(5) vacancies as at 30 September 2003 
		
		
			 Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust 80.3 33.7 
			 Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust 8.8 4.0 
			 Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 67.5 17,3 
			 Causeway HSS Trust 15.0 33.0 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust 8.7 2.0 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust 35.1 15.6 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust n/a 13.9 
			 Foyle Community HSS Trust 29.0 13.0 
			 Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust 41.0 45.8 
			 Homefirst Community HSS Trust 30.0 n/a 
			 Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust 46.0 71.7 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 5.0 8.2 
			 North and West Belfast HSS Trust 26.3 8.4 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust 257.6 96.5 
			 South and East Belfast HSS Trust 29.5 34.2 
			 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 26.0 16.0 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust 47.5 23.6 
			 United Hospitals Group HSS Trust 59.0 23.5 
			 Total 812.3(does not include figure for Down Lisburn) 460.4(does not include figure for Homefirst) 
		
	
	(5) Whole-time equivalent.
	As can be seen from the table, the vacancy situation has slightly unproved between 30 September 2002 and 30 September 2003. A review of the Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Review was carried in late 2001/early 2002 and a report was issued in March 2002. It is proposed to carry out another detailed review of the Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting workforce in 2004.

Overseas Nurses

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many overseas nurses are employed in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Overseas nurses are employed both within the private sector and the HPSS in Northern Ireland but information is only held in respect of HPSS employees. As at 31 December 2003, the total number of overseas nurses employed within Health and Social Services Trusts in Northern Ireland was 709. Figures are detailed by Trust as follows.
	
		
			 HSS(6) Trust Number 
		
		
			 Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust 24 
			 Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust 0 
			 Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 55 
			 Causeway HSS Trust 14 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge Comm. HSS Trust 0 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust 50 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 42 
			 Foyle Community HSS Trust 0 
			 Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust 47 
			 Homefirst Community HSS Trust 20 
			 Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust 24 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 5 
			 North and West Belfast HSS Trust 0 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust 239 
			 South and East Belfast HSS Trust 0 
			 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 40 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust 102 
			 United Hospitals Group HSS Trust 47 
			 Total 709 
		
	
	(6) Health and Social Services

Physiotherapists

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what restrictions there are on the number of domiciliary visits by physiotherapists to a particular patient.

Angela Smith: Domiciliary visits are determined by clinical need. While there is no arbitrary limit placed on such visits, service provision is managed to balance total local need with available resources.

Pre-School Places

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what basis SEELB provides a greater number of funded pre-school places to the statutory nursery school sector than to the private/voluntary sector in Newtownards; and for what reason the playschool at Londonderry Primary School has not attracted any funded places.

Jane Kennedy: In Newtownards there are currently 234 pre-school places in statutory nurseries and 136 in settings in the voluntary and private sector. Of these, 52 statutory places and all of the voluntary and private places were created by the Pre-school Education Expansion Programme. The planning of pre-school provision and the allocation of voluntary/private sector places is a matter for each Board's Pre-School Education Advisory Group (PEAG), which identifies shortfalls in funded pre-school provision at local area level. The intention was that new places created under the programme for Northern Ireland as a whole would be broadly on a 50:50 basis between the statutory and voluntary/private sectors, though at local level the ratio varies considerably, depending mainly on the level of provision prior to the programme. In Newtownards, most of the statutory provision pre-dated the expansion programme.
	The number of pre-school places which the South Eastern Education and Library Board's PEAG is funding in Newtownards is already sufficient to satisfy the demand from the parents of children in their immediate pre-school year. It is not necessary, therefore, for the PEAG to introduce additional providers such as the playschool at Londonderry Primary school.

Pulmonary Disease

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the cost of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to the NHS in 2003.

Angela Smith: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

Racism

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what evidence he has received of paramilitary group involvement in racist acts of vandalism carried out on peace walls between Protestant and Catholic communities; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: I am not aware of any racist acts of vandalism that have taken place on peacelines between Protestant and Catholic communities by paramilitary groups however racist graffiti was removed from the gable wall of the home of a Chinese family living in the Donegal Road area. This graffiti was removed at the request of the PSNI.

Racism

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on swastika-style graffiti on peace walls in Belfast.

Jane Kennedy: It is a fact that in Northern Ireland many peacelines have become the canvas for a wide range of social and political comment, some of which many would find offensive.
	The Government will seek to remove graffiti that is considered likely to cause a breach of the peace.

SARS

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on preparations to deal with cases of SARS in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: In June 2003 the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety set up a Northern Ireland SARS Taskforce charged, inter alia, with preparing a contingency Plan for SARS in Northern Ireland. This in turn led to the establishment of eight sub-groups drawn from the HPSS to take forward various aspects of SARS preparation and these groups reported to a Conference in Belfast on 8 December at which the Contingency Plan was also launched. A tabletop exercise, to test the Plan, was held the following day and the lessons learned from that will be incorporated into the Plan at the next reprint.
	The Contingency Plan includes arrangements for any one (or all) of three acute hospitals to be designated to deal with SARS patients. Plans for upgrading work at these, and other hospitals with A&E Departments, are in preparation, while steps to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) for health care workers, including GPs, in contact with suspected SARS cases are also well advanced. A training package video/CD Rom covering a number of issues including infection control and the use of PPE has also been prepared for distribution to the service.
	The Department has also opened a special SARS website with information both for health professionals and members of the public.

School Funding

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding (a) integrated and (b) Irish Language schools have received in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The total funding allocated directly to (a) integrated and (b) Irish Language schools in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		£000
		
			  Integrated Irish Language 
		
		
			 1998–99 46,146 5,533 
			 1999–2000 53,587 5,216 
			 2000–01 52,510 5,154 
			 2001–02 51,257 4,759 
			 2002–03 58,841 5,946 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The figures include (a) recurrent and capital funding awarded directly to both grant maintained and controlled integrated schools and Irish Language schools, (b) EU Peace I and Peace II funding awarded directly to both grant maintained and controlled integrated schools, and (c) funding provided to integrated and Irish Language schools through the Londonderry Regeneration Initiative and the Belfast Regeneration Office.
	2. The above figures exclude services provided by the Education and Library Boards for schools, which are not disaggregated by individual sector or school (for example: services such as school meals, school transport and the Curriculum Advisory and Support Services).

School Travel

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the overall cost was of free travel to schools in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: In the 2002–03 financial year the Education and Library Boards provided home to school transport assistance to almost 100,000 pupils. The cost of providing this service was £57.2 million.

Schoolchildren (Back Injuries)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place in Northern Ireland to protect children from sustaining back injuries from carrying excessively heavy schoolbags to, in and from school; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: School boards of governors have a duty to safeguard the welfare of registered pupils on the school premises. The Department of Education provides funding for lockers for pupils' learning materials in post-primary schools with the agreement of the school authorities. Pupils share the responsibility for ensuring that they only carry to and from school those materials and equipment essential for homework or school activities for that day. Parents are generally responsible for making arrangements to protect the health and welfare of the children outside the school premises.

Sexual Health

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to promote sexual health among young people in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is working with other interested Departments and organisations to promote sexual health and wellbeing. A draft Sexual Health Promotion Strategy and Action Plan, which aims to improve, protect and promote the sexual health and wellbeing of the population of Northern Ireland, was issued for three months consultation in December 2003. It sets a target to reduce the number of sexually transmitted infections and identifies those aged under 20 as a priority group. It also proposes actions in the areas of prevention, education and training, services and data collection and research.
	A Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood Strategy and Action Plan was also published at the beginning of 2003 and it contains challenging targets to reduce teenage pregnancies. A multi-agency Implementation Group has been established to take the Strategy forward. The Group has identified education support, confidentiality, services and parent/child communication as priority areas for action.

Solectron

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grants have been paid to Solectron Northern Ireland towards the cost of establishing factories in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: None. Although Solectron accepted an offer of grant assistance from Invest NI dated 10 May 2001, the company did not seek to draw down any of the grants offered.

Special Educational Needs

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average time between referral of pupils for statutory assessment and receiving the required assistance for (a) learning difficulties, (b) speech and language, (c) autism, (d) behavioural difficulties and (e) medical needs within the South Eastern Education and Library Board was in the last year for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided by the South-Eastern Education Library Board only at disproportionate cost.

Starter Homes

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many starter home initiative schemes have begun in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: A starter home initiative, the Co-ownership scheme, which is part funded by the Department for Social Development, has been in operation since 1978. The aim of the scheme is to provide assistance to those on marginal incomes, and who would not be eligible to obtain a full mortgage, to allow them to become homeowners. Since its inception the scheme has enabled 17,500 participants to gain a foothold on the property ladder through its equity-sharing scheme, over 13,000 of whom eventually moved to full home ownership.

Tourist Accommodation

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) benefits and (b) grants are available when building (i) guest houses and (ii) other forms of tourist accommodation in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Advice on establishing and certifying tourism accommodation businesses is available from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB). Support with operating, managing and developing tourism businesses is available through Invest NI.
	Invest NI can provide grant assistance for the upgrading of existing guesthouses certified by the NITB, the development of high quality "country type" guesthouse accommodation in existing habitable properties and the building of new guesthouses on brown field sites in traditional seaside resort towns. In addition, Invest NI can make available financial assistance and a range of business support programmes for the building and development of hotels, hostels, self-catering and bed and breakfast establishments.
	Assistance is also available from a number of other sources. For example, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development offers assistance to create new tourist accommodation bed spaces under the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border of Ireland (PEACE II) funded Natural Resource Rural Tourism Initiative. Through the LEADER + programme, administered through 12 local action groups, existing NITB certified tourist accommodation properties may be eligible for funding to assist with upgrading and expansion. The Department of Social Development may make available grants to support the building of guesthouses or other forms of tourist accommodation to support, where appropriate, wider regeneration in Northern Ireland.

Travellers

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the rights of members of the travelling community, with particular reference to (a) facilities, (b) education and (c) entitlement to benefits.

John Spellar: Irish Travellers have the same rights of access to facilities, education and the same entitlement to benefits as every other citizen in Northern Ireland.

Ulster Hospital (Courtesy Bus)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will study the feasibility of a courtesy bus service from Belfast to the Ulster hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust is currently developing a Travel Plan that will consider existing services and future provision, including access to public transport for patients, visitors and staff.
	As part of this process the Trust will meet with Translink to discuss bus services and the viability of various options.

Winter Influenza

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what preparations have been made to deal with a winter influenza outbreak in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Department's annual influenza immunisation campaign is the main element of its programme to minimise any winter influenza outbreak. There are two main groups involved in the campaign: everyone over 65 and those under 65 who are considered to be at risk because of an underlying medical condition such as asthma, diabetes, a heart condition etc. The Department has proactively promoted immunisation this year with a particular focus on those 'at risk', including children. Figures on vaccination uptake to the end of November show that the campaign is ahead of the targets set for this year.
	This year also the Department has regularly reminded the public of measures to protect themselves from influenza and of the steps to take to look after themselves should they develop it.
	The Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC) at Belfast City Hospital monitors the incidence of influenza through a network of spotter practices and provides information directly to the Department. The assessment provided by CDSC in the middle of January 2004 is that influenza is circulating at very low levels in Northern Ireland. Boards and Trusts all have plans in place to deal with upsurges in the numbers of cases of flu, should this occur.
	In 2003 the Department secured a small supply of a new anti-viral drug called Oseltamivir which can be administered, in the event of a serious outbreak, to patients and staff in nursing homes, residential homes and hospitals to prevent them catching the flu.

Young Offenders

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people are being held at young offender institutions in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the provision for young offenders in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: There are currently 191 male and two female inmates being held at young offender institutions in Northern Ireland.
	Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Centre accommodates all young male offenders aged between 17–21 years and has a dedicated juvenile landing for those under 18. Female young offenders are detained in Mourne House at Maghaberry Prison.
	All young offenders have access to a comprehensive regime, which provides for education, recreation and offending behaviour programmes.

TRANSPORT

Rural Policing Fund

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria apply to the quantification of the Rural Policing Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
	External research carried out in 1998 demonstrated that additional annual costs of around £30 million associated with more sparsely populated police authority areas, were not reflected in the general police funding formula.
	The Rural Policing Fund was introduced during 2000–01, when a specific grant of £15million was made available for policing in more rural areas, without reducing grant to the predominantly urban forces. £30 million has subsequently been made available annually to the 31 forces with the most widespread populations. The Fund has always been distributed according to the relative average sparsity of population.

Driving Licences

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many asylum seekers have been issued with driving licences in each of the past three years; and what estimate he has made of the number of asylum seekers driving without valid UK licences.

David Jamieson: All applications for driving licences are subject to the same requirements in relation to age, health competency and identity. A wide range of identity documentation can be produced as evidence of identity in support of an application for a photocard driving licence and most would not indicate the residency status of the applicant. It is therefore not possible to determine what proportion of applicants were asylum seekers.

Pensioners (Free Transport)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make provision for pensioners to travel free on public transport during off-peak hours.

Tony McNulty: We have no plans to introduce a statutory requirement for pensioners to be able to travel free on public transport during off-peak hours. The current statutory minimum requirement for concessionary travel in England introduced in 2001 ensures half fares for pensioners on local buses, with a free pass. From April 2003, we have extended concessionary travel schemes to men aged 60–64, bringing them into line with women of the same age. Local authorities may make more generous provision, including free travel, at their discretion.

Pensioners (Free Transport)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of providing free off-peak travel for pensioners.

Tony McNulty: We have made no estimate of the cost of providing free off-peak travel for pensioners on all forms of public transport. However we estimate that the total cost of providing free travel on all local bus services for pensioners would be in the order of £800 million per year.

Public Transport (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of how many people in Lancashire used (a) bus services and (b) train services in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: Estimated figures for the number of bus journeys in Lancashire from 1999 is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999–2000 57,614,463 
			 2000–01 56,387,880 
			 2001–02 58,672,576 
			 2002–03 61,918,427 
		
	
	Note:
	Comparable figures for years before 1999 are not available.
	The number of train journeys starting and finishing at Lancashire stations since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,515,692 
			 1998–99 1,535,946 
			 1999–2000 1,610,520 
			 2000–01 1,632,682 
			 2001–02 1,581,104 
			 2002–03 1,427,132

Regional Airports (Security)

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Civil Aviation Authority and (b) international counterparts concerning security at regonal airports in the UK;
	(2)  how regularly security arrangements at regional airports are reviewed.

Tony McNulty: The Department of Transport has policy responsibility for civil aviation security in the UK. We set practical security measures for the aviation industry to implement at all airports, based on UK security service threat information, and monitor compliance with those requirements. These measures are reviewed constantly with the industry. However, neither the UK CAA or our international counterparts have any responsibility or expertise in these areas and we do not therefore consult with them, although the department keeps in regular touch with them on a range of issues.

Rural Transport

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much grant his Department has given to Somerset county council for rural transport in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: All local authorities in England (outside London) receive capital funding for local transport through the Local Transport Plan system. The Government also provides revenue support for all local authority spending programmes through the Formula Spending Share system. It is a decision for each authority as to how much of that funding is allocated to rural transport. Somerset CC also received Rural Bus Challenge and Rural Bus Subsidy funding throughout most of the period in question:
	
		Rural Bus Challenge Funding
		
			 Year ofaward Name of project Amount awarded (£) 
		
		
			 1998 The Mendips flexible bus project 130,000 
			 1998 Exmoor community transport radio 1,004 
			 1999 West Somerset Social Car Scheme 90,823 
			 1999 Wells to Priddy Postbus 25,582 
			 1999 Continuation of Mendip Flexibus Funding 225,195 
			 2000 South Somerset 182,344 
			 2001 Community Transport in Mendip 'Special Rural Component' 89,000 
			 2001 South Somerset Links, Langport and Chard 197,000 
			 2001 Rural Surrounds of Wiveliscombe 100,000 
			 2002 Somerset Inclusion Bus Buddy 94,500 
		
	
	The total awarded to Somerset county council under the Rural Bus Challenge since its inception in 1998 is £1,135,448. Payments are made over a number of years, usually over three years.
	
		Rural bus subsidy grant
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1998–99 1,017,790 
			 1999–2000 974,750 
			 2000–01 980,300 
			 2001–02 1,285,610 
			 2002–03 1,472,445 
			 2003–04 1,518,856 
		
	
	Figures shown give actual grant paid since its inception in 1998, deducting any grant carried forward from the previous year. The figure for 2003–04 shows the full allocation for this financial year.

Traffic Management Bill

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate has been made of the likely costs per (a) water, (b) gas, (c) electricity and (d) telecommunications customer arising from the introduction of permit schemes as set out in the Traffic Management Bill.

David Jamieson: While the Traffic Management Bill provides the broad powers to set up permit schemes, the detail of how they would work will be set out in secondary legislation and a further more detailed Regulatory Impact Assessment will be produced as part of preparing regulations.

Transport (Wales)

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list (a) the volume of freight passing through Welsh ports, (b) the volume of passengers passing through Welsh ports and (c) the number of ships and the average tonnage of ships operating out of Welsh ports for each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: The available information is included in the table.
	
		Welsh ports traffic 1997–2002
		
			  (a) Total freight (million tonnes) (b) Total passengers (million) (c) Number of ship arrivals (thousand) (c) Average tonnage of ships arriving (thousand gt) 
		
		
			 1997 62.3 4.0 10.9 n/a 
			 1998 56.2 4.3 10.3 n/a 
			 1999 56.6 4.0 9.9 14.0 
			 2000 57.9 3.9 11.1 13.3 
			 2001 54.7 3.6 10.5 15.4 
			 2002 52.0 3.6 10.4 16.5

HEALTH

Assistive Technology

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the 3rd Audit Commission report, "Keeping People Independent with Assistive Technology".

Stephen Ladyman: This report has not yet been published and an assessment is not, therefore, possible.

Babies (Sleeping Habits)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he issues to parents regarding risks associated with babies sleeping in the same bed as their parents at night; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department have issued guidance on avoiding co-sleeping with babies in circumstances associated with cot death. The leaflet, 'Reduce the Risk of Cot Death', has been made widely available in hard copy and on the Department's web-site at www. doh.gov.uk/cotdeath/. The Department also supports the Child Accident Prevention Trust, whose leaflet, 'Keep Your Baby Safe', includes advice to parents against co-sleeping with a baby in their bed, and a warning against falling asleep on a sofa while holding the baby, in case of accidental injury.

Cancer

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the reasons for the changes in cancer incidence between 1995 and 2000.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 26 January 2004
	The number of cancers in England, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, increased by 6.9 per cent. between 1995 and 2000. This is mostly accounted for by increases in breast cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, bowel cancer, melanoma, mesothelioma and lymphomas. However, this should be balanced against significant decreases in the numbers of lung, stomach and cervical cancers.
	There are many reasons for the changes in incidence of these cancers.
	The increased incidence of breast cancer can be attributed not only to the success of the national breast screening programme in identifying new cases, but also changes in factors that affect a woman's hormonal environment, such as obesity, use of hormone replacement therapy and differing patterns of child birth. The increase in reporting of prostate cancer is primarily due to the greater use of prostate specific antigen testing. Increased incidence of melanoma is due to greater over-exposure to sunlight. The increased number of bowel cancer cases is partly due to diet and lack of physical activity. For mesothelioma, the increase is due to the increased numbers of people exposed to asbestos in the 1960s and 1970s who, because of the long latency period of the disease, are only now developing this condition. The reasons for increased cases of testicular cancer and lymphomas are unclear.
	The decrease in lung cancer incidence is due to reduced rates of smoking in men over the last two decades. The reduction in stomach cancer is primarily thought to be due to changes in diet. The reduction in the number of cases of cervical cancer is almost certainly due to the national screening programme identifying abnormalities which, left untreated, would later become cancerous.

Cannabis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the results of recent research into the association between cannabis use and psychosis.

Melanie Johnson: We recognise that a causative link between early cannabis use and later development of schizophrenia is not conclusively proven. However, the recent epidemiological research on the issue of earlier use of cannabis and risk of later development of schizophrenia, 'schizophrenic symptoms' and 'schizophreniform disorder' has shown a stronger association than was previously evident from published studies. The British Medical Journal editorial accompanying the publication of the key research papers concluded that:
	"whether the use of cannabis triggers the onset of schizophrenia or depression in otherwise vulnerable people or whether it actually causes these conditions in non- predisposed people is not yet resolved."
	The Department continues to monitor research in this area and has a range of expert advisors to continue to inform policy.

Care Home Beds (Worthing)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that there are adequate care home beds available (a) now and (b) in the future in Worthing; and what mechanisms he will employ to ensure that the care homes receive sufficient fees to care for their residents.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government have made available substantial increases in the level of funding provided for social services in recent years. Between 1996–97 and 2002–03, the overall level of funding has increased by 20 per cent., an average real terms annual increase of around three per cent. We intend to further increase resources to social services for personal social services by an annual average of six per cent, in real terms from 2003–04 to 2005–06.
	Local councils should use these extra resources to determine a range of care options, including residential care places that are needed locally. This information should then inform their commissioning strategies and decisions. It is for each council to decide what should be the level of fees paid for care services, in the light of local needs and circumstances.

Community Health Councils

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health have spent to date in establishing new arrangements following the abolition of community health councils.

Rosie Winterton: The amount spent by the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health within the financial year 2003–04, up to 31 December 2003, was £19.9 million.

Community Health Councils

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health has spent on (a) headquarters and (b) regional offices in the current financial year.

Rosie Winterton: The amount spent by the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health within the financial year 2003–04, up to 31 December 2003, was £4.5 million on the national centre and £2.97 million on the regional centres.

Correspondence

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of 28 August from the hon. Member for Northavon (his reference PO1035359) regarding vitamin B17.

Melanie Johnson: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 27 January 2004.

Drug-related Deaths

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in reducing the number of drug-related deaths since 1999.

Melanie Johnson: The figures on drug related deaths since 1999 are shown in the table. The drop in 2001 was the first reduction in drug related deaths (DRDs) since 1993.
	
		
			  1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Number of DRDs 1,567 1,662 1,623 
			 Percentage change — +6 -2

Dual Diagnosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his plans to propose the introduction of a new definition of dual diagnosis into statute.

Rosie Winterton: The Government have no plans to introduce a new definition of dual diagnosis into statute. Under the draft Mental Health Bill it is proposed that there will be a single definition of mental disorder with no exceptions or exclusions, so that people can be treated according to their individual needs.
	Under the current Mental Health Act 1983 a person cannot be treated as being mentally disordered (for the purposes of the Act) solely on the ground that he is dependent on alcohol or drugs, there must be dual diagnosis of a mental illness. We believe that, in practice, these exemptions have been misunderstood and misapplied. This has meant that some people have not received the compulsory treatment which they need to prevent them from harming themselves or others.
	The intention of proposals in the draft Mental Health Bill is that strict conditions will ensure the powers are only used where the nature or degree of mental disorder requires treatment under the care of a mental health consultant; appropriate treatment is available for the individual patient and there is a risk to self or others that warrants such treatment. This will mean that there is no artificial barrier to people being treated under compulsory powers when this is necessary because the conditions in the Bill are satisfied.
	In May 2002 the Department of Health published Dual Diagnosis Good Practice Guide. The guide reaffirms dual diagnosis as a priority for mainstream mental health services and emphasises the need for them to work in partnership with other agencies, such as substance misuse services and drug action teams.

General Practitioners (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners surgeries there are in Chorley.

Melanie Johnson: This information is not held centrally in the format required.
	The primary care trust reports that in Chorley town centre there are seven general practitioner practices, of which four own the premises and three are in one health centre.
	In the Borough Council of Chorley there are 17 practices, of which 13 own their premises and four are in two health centres.

Health Forums

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patient and public involvement forums have started monitoring the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: Of the 572 patients' forums in England, 549 are operational. During December and the early part of January the majority of forums met together for the first time to begin planning their work. During January and February, most of the patients' forums will have their first meeting in public. All forums, even those not operational due to vacancies, are gathering information about their local health services, making contact with the National Health Service, and talking to their communities.

Mental Health

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the use of criminal guardianship powers in the Mental Health Act 1983.

Rosie Winterton: I am not aware of any research that has been commissioned on the use of the guardianship powers given to courts under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

Mental Health

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the use of triage in mental health provision.

Rosie Winterton: A number of initiatives are being put in place to improve emergency assessment and treatment of people with mental health problems.
	In line with the commitments outlined in the NHS Plan, crisis resolution services are being developed to provide intensive support for people in mental health crisis in their own home. Crisis resolution services are designed to provide prompt and effective home treatment, including medication, in order to prevent hospital admissions and give support to informal carers.
	In addition, almost 500 Gateway workers will be in place by the end of the year to help people in mental health crises access appropriate services in the community.
	People with mental health problems are also able to use the NHS Direct to get first-level advice and referral on to specialised helplines or to local services.

National Treatment Agency

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the current budgetary situation facing the National Treatment Agency, with particular reference to the South-West Region.

Melanie Johnson: From an overall pooled drug treatment budget of £236.1 million in 2003–04, the South West received a total of £18.19 million. This was an average increase of 17.40 per cent., on the previous year. The National Treatment Agency (NTA) has responsibility for monitoring the spend of this resource.
	In addition the NTA employ a team of four staff within the Government Office for the South West to support the development of drug treatment at local level. Nationally the NTA were allocated £5.5 million running costs in 2003–04 for their central and regional structure. The proportion of this allocated to the South West has not been disaggregated.

NHS Dentists

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS dentists are required to issue a warning to patients before their names are removed from the national database of NHS patients; and what guidance he gives on the removal of names.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 22 January 2004
	National health service patients are registered with a dentist under a continuing care (adults) or capitation (children) arrangement with a dentist for the provision of general dental services, which lapses after 15 months. The arrangement can be extended at any time during the 15 months, usually at the regular check up.
	If the dentist does not agree to the extension of the arrangement, he/she must give notice in writing to the patient not later than three months before the date the arrangement is due to elapse and use his/her best endeavours to complete treatment before that date.
	Where a dentist wishes to terminate an arrangement, he/she must give three months' notice to the patient. The relevant primary care trust can give permission for the arrangement to be terminated with less than three months notice, having given the patient an opportunity to make representations.

NHS Direct (Lancashire)

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls have been made to NHS Direct from (a) the constituency of Blackpool North and Fleetwood and (b) Lancashire.

Melanie Johnson: NHS Direct North West Coast covers the constituencies of Blackpool North and Fleetwood, and Lancashire. The statistics collated by NHS Direct North West Coast for the last six months—1 July to 31 December 2003—broken down by constituency, are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Constituency Number of calls 
		
		
			 Blackburn 31,632 
			 Blackpool 6,343 
			 Burnley 4,473 
			 Chorley 1,151 
			 Darwen 4,096 
			 Hyndburn 7,487 
			 Lancaster and Wyre 4,181 
			 Morecambe and Lunesdale 1,321 
			 Preston 18,289 
			 Ribble Valley 1,120 
			 Total 80,093

Premature Babies

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was provided to the premature baby charity, BLISS, in each of the last five years.

Stephen Ladyman: BLISS applied for funding from the Department in one of the past five years. The Department was pleased to be able to support them, with funding of £30,000 in 2003–04. In addition, we are looking to provide funding in 2004–05 for the production of guidance on the special care of pre-term babies.

Residential Care (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on funding of independent residential care providers in Lancashire; and how many beds there are in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley.

Stephen Ladyman: There have been substantial increases in the level of funding provided for social services in recent years. Local councils can use these extra resources to increase local provision or to rebalance the care home market and increase fee levels if that is what is needed, taking account of local circumstances and priorities.
	The following table shows the number of care home places by type of accommodation available in Lancashire as at 31 March 2001. Figures for Chorley are not available.
	Figures for later years have been collected by the National Care Standards Commission, but comparable details broken down by local authority are not available.
	
		Number of care home places in Lancashire(7) by type of accommodation as at 31 March 2001
		
			 Residential homes Number 
		
		
			 Local Authority staffed 2,345 
			 Private(8) 11,065 
			 Voluntary(8) 1,035 
			 Small(9) 590 
			   
			 Nursing homes  
			 Independent 7,323 
		
	
	(7) For residential care Lancashire has been interpreted as Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool Local Authorities. For nursing care it has been defined as south, east and northwest Lancashire and Morecambe Bay Health Authorities.
	(8) Includes dual registered homes.
	(9) Independent registered care homes with less than four places.
	Source:
	RA and RH(N) form A.

Waiting Times

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for a scan for patients with a suspected stroke was in each of the last three years for which there are records.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected centrally. The national service framework for older people targeted in this area is to achieve a computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan in less than 48 hours. The summary report of the 2001–02 National Sentinel Stroke Audit reported that more patients than ever had brain imaging, with at least 83 per cent. meeting that target.

WALES

Bovine TB

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much bovine TB compensation has been paid in Wales.

Don Touhig: Statutory responsibility to pay farmers compensation at market value for cattle slaughtered under TB control policies is made by the National Assembly for Wales. Compensation is paid to farmers in Wales at 100 per cent. of market value as specified by the Brucellosis and Tuberculosis (England and Wales) Compensation (Amendment) Order 1996.
	Between 1999 and 2003 the Assembly paid £12,939,000 by way of compensation to Welsh farmers.

EU Funding

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding match-funding for Objective 1 projects in Wales in each of the past 15 months.

Peter Hain: I have regular discussions with Treasury on a wide range of subjects.
	The Government won Objective 1 status for West Wales and the Valleys and is providing public expenditure cover outside of Barnett for the Assembly's receipts under the Structural Funds.
	It is for the Assembly to take its own spending decisions but this arrangement ensures that the Assembly can make match funding available, for that portion of match funding which it will be providing.

EU Funding

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the First Secretary to discuss the funding of Objective 1 projects.

Peter Hain: I have regular discussions with the First Minister on a wide range of subjects.
	As at 31 December 2003, the Objective 1 Programme has committed more than £680 million of grant to more than 1,000 projects, representing a total project investment of nearly £1.65 billion. To date, projects have reported the creation of some 22,000 gross new jobs and more than 30,000 jobs have been safeguarded.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Disability Living Allowance

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals against refusal to grant the (a) care and (b) mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance were made in each year since 2000; how many were allowed in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for Christina Townsend Chief Executive of the Appeals Service. She will reply to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Christina Townsend to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, dated 29 January 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question regarding the number of appeals against refusal to grant the (a) care and (b) mobility component of the disability living allowance were made in each year since 2000 and how many were allowed in each year.
	The attached tables show the figures for the years 2000—2003.
	I hope this reply is helpful.
	
		
			 As at August Disability Living Allowance'on benefit' load 
		
		
			 2000 2,160,300 
			 2001 2,271,100 
			 2002 2,358,800 
			 2003 2,526,700 
		
	
	Notes:
	Figure is rounded to the nearest hundred.
	Based on a 5 per cent. sample.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5% sample.
	
		Disability Living Allowance Appeals with issues relating to care/mobility lodged at a first tier agency, received by the Appeals Service, cleared at hearing and found in favour of the appellant at hearing: 2000 to 2003
		
			  Lodged Received Cleared Found in favour Percentage found in favour 
		
		
			 2000 78,490 77,940 51,925 25,360 48.8 
			 2001 67,670 71,920 71,755 37,020 51.6 
			 2002 63,405 66,415 59,575 31,840 53.4 
			 2003* 52,905 62,395 52,900 27,560 52.1 
		
	
	
		Disability Living Allowance Appeals with issues relating to care lodged at a first tier agency, received by the Appeals Service, cleared at hearing and found in favour of the appellant at hearing: 2000 to 2003
		
			  Lodged Received Cleared Found in favour Percentage found in favour 
		
		
			 2000 10,140 10,125 6,540 3,560 54.4 
			 2001 8,555 8,970 8,535 5,030 58.9 
			 2002 9,795 9,885 8,070 4,815 59.7 
			 2003* 7,675 9,225 7,860 4,640 59.0 
		
	
	
		Disability Living Allowance Appeals with issues relating to mobility lodged at a first tier agency, received by the Appeals Service, cleared at hearing and found in favour of the appellant at hearing: 2000 to 2003
		
			  Lodged Received Cleared Found in favour Percentage found in favour 
		
		
			 2000 5,335 5,370 3,355 1,520 45.3 
			 2001 4,540 4,645 4,625 2,345 50.7 
			 2002 4,480 4,695 4,055 2,195 54.1 
			 2003* 3,190 3,875 3,450 1,780 51.6 
		
	
	*Information for January to November 2003 only.
	Received appeals in any given month may have been lodged in a previous month. Therefore the number of appeals received could exceed the number of lodgements.
	Notes:
	All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available.
	Figures for the latest months may rise significantly as information feeds through to the Appeals Service.
	Figures are rounded to the nearest five and percentages to one decimal place.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample.

Incapacity Benefit

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the waiting times are for the processing of IB50 applications in each constituency in Wales.

Maria Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The IB50 is a self-assessment questionnaire issued to people claiming Incapacity Benefit (IB); once the claimant has completed the IB50, it is forwarded by Jobcentre Plus to SchlumbergerSema to determine whether a Personal Capability Assessment is appropriate.
	SchlumbergerSema have two key targets for the provision of medical advice in respect of people claiming IB, which are being consistently met in Wales. They are: for the provision of advice without an examination, an average actual clearance time of four working days from receipt of a referral; for the provision of a written examination report, an average actual clearance of 32 working days from receipt of a referral.
	Once the IB50s are returned, Jobcentre Plus have an internal target of 15 days to reach a decision. Information on performance against this target in Wales for 2002–03 is in the following table.
	
		Incapacity Benefit (IB) Medical Test Results Cleared in 15 days in Wales -- Percentage
		
			 Jobcentre Plus District April2002 May2002 June2002 July2002 August 2002 September 2002 October 2002 
		
		
			 Bridgend and Rhondda, Cynon Taf 98.05 97.86 98.5 99.9 99.74 97.55 99.66 
			 Cardiff and Vale 98.43 98.43 98.6 99.79 98.81 98.09 100 
			 Eastern Valleys 99.11 99.12 99.18 99.81 99.59 99.6 99.87 
			 North West Wales and Powys 97.59 99.14 97.18 98.91 97.16 98.09 98 
			 South East Wales 98.86 99.63 98.87 99.15 100 99.6 99.34 
			 Swansea Bay 99.03 93.78 96.2 98.59 98.4 98 98.57 
			 West Wales 96.42 95.5 98.14 98.64 96.51 87.32 94.54 
			 Wrexham and North Wales Coast 97.7 97.7 99.04 98.47 98.41 99.39 98.75 
			 Wales 98.33 97.17 98.29 99.24 98.93 97.4 98.89 
			 GB National total 96.73 96.09 95.03 95.81 95.57 96.55 96.72 
		
	
	
		Percentage
		
			 Jobcentre Plus District November 2002 December 2002 January2003 February 2003 March2003 Total 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Bridgend and Rhondda, Cynon Taf 98.31 90.04 98.84 99.54 99.6 98.25  
			 Cardiff and Vale 98.97 99.37 98.44 99.61 100 99.09 
			 Eastern Valleys 99.74 99.55 99.91 100 99.69 99.51  
			 North West Wales and Powys 70.18 99.67 98.61 99.65 99.46 97.09 
			 South East Wales 99.64 100 99.84 99.64 99.64 99.47 
			 Swansea Bay 98.72 99.17 97.8 97.55 99.12 97.73 
			 West Wales 97.69 100 98.96 96.39 99.62 96.18 
			 Wrexham and North Wales Coast 96.66 100 99.81 99.82 99.69 98.63 
			 Wales 97.34 98.35 99.02 98.76 99.57 98.32 
			 GB National total 96.94 97.4 96.22 98.25 97.96 96.54 
		
	
	Note:
	Jobcentre Plus aims to clear all IB medical test results within 15 days. The planning assumption for business delivery is that this target will be met in 98 per cent. of cases
	Source:
	DWP Management Information Data

Learning Disabilities

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training is given to staff to enable them to understand the needs of clients with learning disabilities.

Maria Eagle: There is an on-going programme of training for all staff in the Disability and Carers Service, which includes a one-day module on Disability Awareness encompassing a range of disability issues, together with two specialist one-day modules for Decision Makers covering Mental Health and Learning Disability issues. There is a commitment to review the scope of the Programme with a view to extending the specialist modules for Decision Makers to other impairments in due course.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Vehicles

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many abandoned vehicles were collected in the Ribble Valley and Fulwood area in each year since 1997.

Elliot Morley: The information requested for Ribble Valley borough council is given in the following table.
	
		
			 Financial year Number of abandonedvehicles collected 
		
		
			 2000–01 16 
			 2001–02 35 
		
	
	Information on the number of vehicles abandoned was collected for the first time in the 2000–01 Municipal Waste Management Survey. 2001–02 is the most recent year for which data are available from the survey.

Badgers

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2003, Official Report, column 1200W, how far in terms of linear distance badger culling extended from the buildings in reactive areas which housed cattle which were reported as TB reactors.

Ben Bradshaw: Reactive culling attempted to remove badger social groups whose territories impinged on those parts of cattle premises where infected reactor cattle were housed or grazed, or from which their forage had been harvested. The extent of such removal operations varied depending on the outcome of badger activity surveys and local badger density. On average culling areas extended about 1 km around implicated land/buildings and was in the order of 5 km 2 .

Badgers

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors determine the placing of badger traps in order to maximise the success of badger culling operations within the context of the Krebs trials; where traps have had to be repositioned to more discrete locations as a result of interference; whether that has required their positioning in sub-optimal locations; and what effect that has had on the conduct and the success of the culling operations.

Ben Bradshaw: Standard operating procedures for the Krebs Trial as ratified by the Independent Scientific Group advise on number and location for trap sites; saturation trapping on setts being the preferred procedure. Traps are located at other sites where consistent anti-Trial interference or denial of consent renders trapping at sites impossible. The impact of varying trap locations is unknown.

Badgers

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the best estimate is of the additional cost to public funds of the (a) interference with and (b) theft of badger traps in the Krebs trials.

Ben Bradshaw: Management records indicate that 6239 traps have been damaged during the Krebs Trial. A further 1926 have been recorded as stolen/lost, but a proportion of these have subsequently been recovered. The current replacement value of a badger trap is approximately £50.

Badgers

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 210W, on badgers, what measures can be taken to reduce the risk to badger cubs inhabiting the same sett as an infectious female suckling badger from infection from M. bovis bacilli.

Ben Bradshaw: Practical measures that could be used to prevent the possibility of an infectious lactating female from infecting her cubs have not yet been identified.

Badgers

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 210W, what her estimate is of the typical proportion of badger faeces and urine deposited in latrines from a given social group; what proportion is distributed more generally over grassland; and what risk of M. bovis infection these deposits present to grazing cattle.

Ben Bradshaw: Work carried out by Bristol University suggests that the proportion of faeces and urine deposited at latrines vary with badger density. The proportion of latrines located in different habitats is the subject of current research at the Central Science Laboratory, the results of which will be published in due course.
	The majority of cattle actively avoid eating grass contaminated with badger faeces but tend not to select against grass contaminated with badger urine. Since most faeces tend to be deposited in latrines, which are often large and obvious, while urinations tend to trail onto pasture, infected badger urine at pasture might pose a greater transmission risk than infected faeces. However, there is likely to be some risk of onward transmission wherever either infectious faeces or urine are present on land grazed by cattle.

Badgers

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 522W, on badgers, what evidence there is that viable M. bovis bacilli remaining in badger setts following the culling of infected denizens can transmit the disease to healthy badgers which subsequently colonise those setts.

Ben Bradshaw: M. bovis survival is promoted by low levels of sunlight, low to moderate temperatures and high relative humidity. A typical badger sett experiences 100 per cent. relative humidity at all times of year, a fairly constant temperature, which is always higher than ambient temperature and almost total darkness. Hence, although no quantitative studies have been carried out, it seems possible that M. bovis bacilli could remain viable in badger setts long enough to infect badgers during recolonisation.
	For comparison, M. bovis has survived in manure for up to two years when buried at 5 cm deep, and for one year when buried 1 cm deep. On pasture, M. bovis has survived for five to 11 months.

Badgers

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the proportion of cubs born to infectious sow badgers which themselves go on to develop TB with the potential to spread to other animals; and what assessment she has made of whether this poses a significant threat to (a) other badgers and (b) cattle.

Ben Bradshaw: Transmission of infection between infectious females and their offspring is thought to be an important process in the dynamics of TB in badger populations. The Central Science Laboratory's Woodchester Park study has shown that there is a significant statistical relationship between the number of infected cubs in a social group and the presence of an infectious female. However, no assessment has been made of the proportion of cubs born to infectious females which themselves go on to become infectious.

Badgers

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 217W, what warnings were given by her officials to farmers who were asked to volunteer for participation in the Krebs trials about (a) the risks involved in participation and (b) the consequences of failure of all or any part of the trials.

Ben Bradshaw: The signing up of landowners agreeing to voluntary participation in the trial was carried out according to a Standard Operation Procedure ratified by the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB. Information on the Government's TB strategy and on the Culling Trial in particular was available in the form of fact sheets, website pages and reports from the Krebs and Bourne Groups. The basis for the Randomised Badger Culling Trial was well documented and communicated to participants by trained staff at the time of their voluntary agreement. Questions that could not be answered at the time on the basis of the briefing available were responded to subsequently in writing or by telephone.

Badgers

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in cases where badgers have been translocated from the Krebs areas, whether her Department was informed of such translocations; and whether landowners were informed.

Ben Bradshaw: We are unaware that any such translocations of badgers from the Randomised Badger Culling Trial areas have taken place.

Bird Conservation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts concerning measures to stem the decline of bird numbers in the regions of most intensive agriculture.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 26 January 2004
	Discussions regularly cover a large range of issues concerning the environmental impact of agriculture. Information is shared between administrations as necessary. However, I can assure you that the Government have recognised the seriousness of the decline in farmland birds and has adopted a target to reverse this long-term decline by 2020. Latest statistics show that the index is stabilising.
	I am attending an international conference organised by the British Ornithological Union in March, which will be discussing this issue in detail.

Bovine TB

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to prevent the spread of bovine TB to East Yorkshire; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: There have been no confirmed outbreaks of bovine tuberculosis in East Yorkshire since before January 1996. There are currently no farms under TB restrictions.
	Defra is shortly to launch a public consultation on a new TB Strategy for England, which will include proposals for a range of potential measures for introduction in the short-term. These are designed to halt the geographical spread of the disease, and include pre and post-movement testing of cattle and a review of local testing frequencies. One of the major concerns of the consultation is to reduce the risk of spreading TB from areas of high incidence to areas with little or no disease.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to standardise the collation of data on bovine TB in a format which allows for a comparison with the Office International des Epizootics figures for incidence of TB; what she estimates the costs of so doing would be; and what assessment she has made of the merits of so doing.

Ben Bradshaw: Bovine TB is a regional problem with a higher incidence of disease in the South West of Great Britain and in Northern Ireland. Defra publishes the incidence of TB in Great Britain on a regional basis, to demonstrate the regional distribution of incidents. The OIE requires a composite annual report for the whole of the United Kingdom. The composite report indicates the average incidence of TB in the UK; but does not demonstrate the localised incidence within the regions. The composite report which is provided each year, as required for the OIE, is derived by amalgamating the regional reports for GB and Northern Ireland, therefore there would be no cost benefit in providing only a UK report and the true regional incidence of the disease would remain unclear.
	In Great Britain there is an obligation under Council Directive 64/432/EEC and other Directives to provide the European Commission with herd and animal incidence figures for bovine TB every year in the prescribed format.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 210W, what the presumptive infective dose range of M. bovis is in respect of cattle; and whether some badgers suffering from bovine TB are capable of excreting sufficient numbers of M. bovis bacilli to constitute such an infective dose.

Ben Bradshaw: Determination of the minimum infectious dose of Mycobacterium bovis in cattle is part of the TB pathogenesis research programme. Early indications are that the minimum infectious dose for cattle via the respiratory tract is relatively small; the lowest infectious dose recorded so far is 70 colony forming units (CPU) when introduced by the intracheal route or 9,600 CPU by the intranasal route.
	Relatively high levels of M. bovis in the urine of badgers with renal TB have been identified. Bacterial loads of up to 300,000 CPU per millilitre of urine have been measured. This suggests that inhalation of as little as 0.03 ml of the urine could result in infection.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 217W, what plans she has to extend the restrictions on the sale of milk from farms under TB restrictions.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	The new European Union consolidated Food Hygiene Regulation, which is expected to come into force in January 2006, will not permit the sale of milk from reactor animals for human consumption—including milk that has been heat treated.

Civil Service (Disabled People)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will set out the number of employees in her Department who have a disability, broken down by disability type.

Alun Michael: The number of staff who have informed or declared a disability and listed by type of disabilities are as follows. The types of disabilities are greater than the number of staff declaring a disability as some staff have declared more than one:
	
		
			 Disability Number of staff 
		
		
			 Angina — 
			 Asthma 60 
			 Continence 6 
			 Diabetes 27 
			 Dyslexia 20 
			 Epilepsy 15 
			 Eyesight 35 
			 Hearing 61 
			 Lifting/carrying/moving everyday objects 36 
			 Manual dexterity 38 
			 Memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand 11 
			 Mental illness 19 
			 Mobility 39 
			 Other 131 
			 Perception of the risk of physical danger — 
			 Physical co-ordination 16 
			 Severe disfigurement 10 
			 Speech 5 
			 Total disabilities 535 
			 Total staff 392 
		
	
	Figures less than five have been suppressed for reasons of confidentiality. Statistics on the disability profile of the civil service as a whole from April 2003 show that 3.6 per cent. of the civil service overall had a declared disability (1.7 per cent. in the SCS). Corporate data on disability by disability type is not published. Further data can be found on www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics. The civil service anonymous Diversity Survey (2001) showed that 15 per cent. of respondents were declaring a disability or long-standing illness against a declared level of 4 per cent. staff with a disability. This could show that disabled staff are more likely to take part in the survey, or that many people who consider themselves to be disabled or have a long standing illness have not declared this to their employer. This level of disability is consistent with the Spring 2003 Labour Force Survey which reported a level of 12.9 per cent. disability in the economically active population.
	Cabinet Office set up a Disability Working Group in January 2003 to look at disability collection issues, monitoring and non-declaration. Defra are represented on this group. The group has recently completed a consultation exercise—the outcome of which will be made available in due course.

Common Agricultural Policy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what cuts in trade distorting support and export subsidies will result from the reforms of the common agricultural policy agreed at the Agriculture Council of the EU in June 2003.

Alun Michael: The CAP reform agreement will substantially reduce trade distorting support as a result of the decoupling of direct payments. There is a degree of national discretion over the extent of decoupling but we anticipate that EU Blue Box support (defined as subsidies deemed less trade-distorting because they are linked to production-limiting programmes such as set-aside, e.g. arable area and livestock headage payments) will fall by at least two-thirds. Amber box support (defined as subsidies which significantly distort trade, e.g. support prices) is estimated to fall by a modest amount due to reductions in support prices and declines in production as a result of decoupling. However, amber box subsidies have already been falling substantially due to the previous Agenda 2000 reforms.
	Both decoupling and reductions in support prices will reduce export subsidies, but the precise impact will depend on future conditions on world markets and on the exchange rate.

Dairy Farming

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the future economic viability of dairy farming in Lancashire.

Alun Michael: The Government understand the problems that low farmgate prices for milk have caused farmers in Lancashire and in the rest of the UK, and the challenges the dairy sector will face adjusting to the new conditions that will be created by a reformed CAP. While the Government recognise these difficulties, they also believes that the UK dairy sector has a sustainable future and, in line with their "Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food", will work alongside the industry to facilitate and support its development. The UK has a comparative advantage in terms of climate, farm efficiency and size over many of its competitors. If the dairy supply chain can work together to maximise this potential and address some of the difficulties it faces, then there is no reason why it should not succeed.

Dairy Farming

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average income of dairy farmers in the United Kingdom was in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: The average net farm income for dairy farmers in the UK is shown in the table. Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type capital of the business.
	Forecast of dairy incomes in England for the year ending February 2004 will be published on 29 January 2004.
	
		Net income per farm -- £
		
			  Current In real terms at 2002–03 prices 
		
		
			 1991–92 19,900 26,200 
			 1992–93 27,000 34,500 
			 1993–94 31,100 39,000 
			 1994–95 27,200 33,200 
			 1995–96 33,900 40,000 
			 1996–97 28,000 32,300 
			 1997–98 18,100 20,200 
			 1998–99 10,700 11,600 
			 1999–2000 9,000 9,700 
			 2000–01 13,900 14,400 
			 2001–02 27,900 28,400 
			 2002–03 12,300 12,300 
		
	
	Source:
	Farm Business Surveys

Farm Incomes

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the latest figure for the average annual income of hill farmers in England and Wales is.

Alun Michael: The average net farm income in 2002–03 for hill farmers in England was £17,960. Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type capital of the business.
	Welsh data are a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

Farming Policy

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on Government policy on the place of (a) environmental protection, (b) protection of wildlife and (c) animal welfare in UK farming policy.

Alun Michael: The Government are committed to help develop a farming industry which is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. The Government's Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food (SFFS), published in December 2002 sets out how the Government will work with the whole of the food chain to secure a sustainable future for English farming and food industries, as viable industries contributing to a better environment and healthy and prosperous communities.
	One of the strategy's key aims is to protect the environment and reward farmers for providing environmental goods. Last year's agreement on CAP reform will help further this objective by removing an incentive to overproduce. In addition, the cross compliance measures to be introduced as part of the agreement will help farmers to reduce damaging environmental impacts by making farm subsidies dependent on meeting good agricultural and environmental conditions. The CAP reform deal also provided for the switching of support from production subsidies to environmental and rural development schemes. In England, we have been running a pilot Entry Level Scheme designed to link key elements of good environmental management across a wider area than the current schemes. Provided that the pilot is successful, the scheme will be made available across England during 2005.
	Defra is also carrying out a strategic review of options to reduce diffuse water pollution from agriculture, and will be consulting further on this in the near future.
	The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000) provides protection for wildlife and their habitats and sets out comprehensive statutory protection for all species and habitats. All wild birds are afforded statutory protection under the 1981 Act, which fulfils our obligations under the EC Wild Birds Directive. Certain animals and plants are also protected under the 1981 Act. In addition to the protection given to certain animals by the 1981 Act, further protection is also granted to certain species via the Habitats Regulations 1994.
	Furthermore, England's Biodiversity Strategy builds on the foundations already laid in conserving habitats and species and aims to go further by ensuring that the implications for wildlife as a whole are considered an integral part of agriculture policy. The strategy encourages the management of farming and agricultural land so as to conserve and enhance biodiversity as part of SFFS.
	Also as part of the SFFS, an outline Animal Health and Welfare Strategy for Great Britain was published for consultation in July 2003. The strategy sets out the direction for animal health and welfare related policy over the next 10 years. It aims to improve the health and welfare of kept animal, and protect public health from animal disease. The strategy is underpinned by the principle of partnership between government and all those involved in and affected by animal health and welfare. It sets out the factors that will help inform Government decisions and the rationale for Government intervention in animal health and welfare including the need to protect and promote the welfare of animals.

Fisheries

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the difference is in (a) species and (b) size of fish caught between paired trawling and single vessel towing.

Ben Bradshaw: In 2003 fishing vessels using single trawl gears caught a much wider range of species than those using pair trawl gears. While both single and pair trawlers caught predominantly more pelagic species, a greater proportion of landings by pair trawlers comprised pelagic species than by single trawlers.
	Information on fish sizes is collected for marketing purposes. However since this is recorded as size bands which differ between species, and because the grading of fish is often not recorded, it is not possible given the data available to determine how the size of fish caught differs between the two fishing methods.
	
		Relative percentages of the main species caught by UK fishing vessels using single and pair trawl gears (excluding nephrops gear) in 2003
		
			  Percentage of landings by volume 
			 Species Pair trawls Single trawls 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Mackerel 53 28 
			 Herring 15 17 
			 Haddock 7 6 
			 Blue Whiting 5 11 
			 Sprats 4 1 
			 Pilchards 3 1 
			 Horse Mackerel 3 1 
			 Saithe 3 2 
			 Cod 2 5 
			 Whiting 1 1 
			 Plaice 1 4 
			 Nephrops 1 4 
			 Others 2 19

Foot and Mouth

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at what level in her Department the decision is made to pursue through the criminal courts the prosecution of persons or companies alleged to have committed or suspected of fraudulent activity in matters within the jurisdiction or responsibility of her Department; and whether such decisions are confirmed or reviewed by her or any member of her ministerial team.

Alun Michael: Decisions to prosecute for fraudulent activity are made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors (4th Edition) (2000) by prosecution lawyers in the Criminal Advisory and Prosecution Division of the Legal Services Directorate General of the Department. The lawyers are bound by Code for Crown Prosecutors (4th Edition) (2000) and their task is firstly to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to provide a "realistic prospect of conviction" and only then, if there is a realistic prospect of conviction, whether a prosecution is in the public interest.
	Such decisions are not confirmed or reviewed by any Ministers although quite properly Ministers are informed of certain high-profile cases and may make representations to the prosecutor.

Foot and Mouth

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria are applied by her Department in determining whether to pursue through the criminal courts the prosecution of persons or companies alleged to have committed or suspected of fraudulent activity in matters within the jurisdiction or responsibility of her Department.

Alun Michael: Decisions to prosecute for fraudulent activity in matters within the jurisdiction or responsibility of the Department are made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors (4th Edition 2000) by prosecution lawyers in the Criminal Advisory and Prosecution Division of the Legal Services Directorate General of the Department.
	The lawyers are bound by Code for Crown Prosecutors (4th Edition) (2000) and their task is firstly to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to provide a "realistic prospect of conviction" and then, only if there is a realistic prospect of conviction, whether a prosecution is in the public interest. In their overall assessment of the public interest in prosecuting such cases, the lawyers take into account all relevant circumstances relating to the commission of the offence including those set out in paragraphs 6.5 (c) to (e) of the Code and the personal circumstances of the offender including those set out in paragraph 6.5 (f) to (h) of the Code.

Information Technology

Richard Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what audit mechanisms are in place to determine whether information technology (a) hardware and (b) software products are being used properly in her Department.

Alun Michael: A considerable amount of work is going on in Defra to improve our IT facilities and systems. We are also seeking to improve usage and exploitation of the capacity of the Department's systems in the interests of efficiency and service delivery. It is against that background that the variety of audit mechanisms need to be understood. They are:
	1. Departmental audit:
	The IT Audit Branch of the Department's own Internal Audit Division conducts a continuous programme of audit assignments (approximately 15–20 per year) in order to provide an assurance concerning the management of our IT systems' (hardware and software) lifecycle—specification, procurement, development, implementation, operations and decommissioning. The scope of audit assignments included in the programme is determined using a risk-based approach and ranges from in-depth examination of single projects or operational systems, to "horizontal" reviews of management processes which can be expected to apply reasonably consistently across projects or systems—for example, software licensing, infrastructure change management, IT governance.
	Internal audits contribute to an assurance that hardware and software products are being used properly within the Department, in the sense that projects/systems contribute effectively and efficiently to the achievement of Departmental objectives, are compliant with legal and regulatory requirements, apply mandated or claimed standards and acknowledged best practice, and are appropriately economical in the use of funds and other resources.
	The Department's Security Branch conducts a rolling programme of IT security audits focusing on compliance with Departmental IT Security policies throughout the Defra estate. It also co-ordinates the implementation of BS7799—the British Standard for the Management of Information Security. Internal Audit Division is responsible for independent review of achievement of compliance with this standard.
	2. Other internal tools and mechanisms:
	There are IT-supported administrative systems in place to assist with the identification and management of IT assets (hardware and software).
	A fixed asset inventory is maintained on the Department's Resource Accounting and Management Information System (RAMIS) and holds details of fixed assets valued at £2,000 or more, including IT assets.
	The e-Business Directorate holds information about the software installed on our Office Systems network as well as about major server and application development software, and ensures that the correct number of software licences is held. An IT inventory management application is used to identify hardware on Defra's Local Area Networks.
	"Audit Logs" recording information concerning users' access to and activity on the Department's IT systems are automatically specified and implemented for all significant IT systems. These are generally for the benefit of system owners in day-to-day management of the system, but may sometimes be used by Internal Audit to examine for signs of improper use of the systems.
	3. External audit bodies and mechanisms:
	External audit bodies which may examine IT management functions include reviews by NAO, and by EU Audit (where the system/function in question is involved in administration of EU-funded schemes). As with internal audit, external audits of administrative functions may also touch upon IT management issues and may prompt internal audit follow up.
	All new major IT-enabled business change programmes within Defra are subject to OGC Gateway Reviews and Health Checks, which examine and report on the management of Programmes, and can also be regarded as a form of external audit.

Ivory

Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to ban the import of all ivory products; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 28 January 2004
	The EU CITES Regulations, which implement the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in the European Union, already prohibit trade in products made from wild-taken elephant and narwhal ivory.
	Powers are also available:
	(a) to control trade in all other ivory products, including pre- convention and antique specimens, by means of a permitting system; and
	(b) to suspend the issue of such permits where we consider, on the basis of scientific advice, that the trade would be detrimental to the conservation of the species in the wild.

Ivory

Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of imports of mammoth ivory products in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 28 January 2004
	Under the system of classification used by HM Customs and Excise for categorising UK trade in goods it is not possible to distinguish between mammoth ivory and other ivory. The value of UK imports of ivory were as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 1998 20.6 
			 1999 62.7 
			 2000 0.7 
			 2001 0.1 
			 2002 2.7 
			 Jan-Nov 2003 63.5 
		
	
	Note:
	Ivory is defined by commodity codes 0507 1000 (unworked) and 9601 1000 (worked) of the Combined Nomenclature.

Lead Content

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 14 January, Official Report, column 737W, on lead content, what assessment she has made of the implications for the (a) treatment of cathode ray tubes as hazardous waste and (b) the cost of their disposal of the readiness with which the lead content leaches.

Elliot Morley: The draft study being finalised for Defra, referred to in my earlier answer, shows that the lead oxide paste which welds the face plate of a cathode ray tube to its funnel, is prone to leach. Lead bound up within the glass of the cathode ray tube does not leach very readily. Research conducted by the Defra sponsored Market Transformation Programme estimates the cost of disposal for an average television set, after it has been deposited at a public waste disposal facility, to be in the region often pounds.

Medicines/Pharmaceuticals

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many investigations the Environment Agency has undertaken in respect of sites licensed by the Drugs Inspectorate for disposal of medicines and pharmaceuticals.

Elliot Morley: The disposal of medicines is not licensed as such by the Home Office Drugs Inspectorate. However, the storage of controlled drugs at any site is subject to a Home Office Drugs Inspectorate licence.
	The Environment Agency authorises processes for the destruction of wastes such as controlled drugs for disposal. It regularly inspects sites for conformity with the requirements of the authorisation, and investigations may be carried out where breaches of authorisations or other environmental legislation are believed to have taken place, and evidence may be sought in relation to enforcement action. One such major investigation has been carried out.
	Additionally, other investigations may relate to technical matters, such as reasons for plant malfunctions, and are carried out as necessary in accordance with the Agency's inspection programmes.

Recycling

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recommendations she has made to local authorities for recycling levels of (a) domestic refuse, (b) commercial refuse and (c) industrial refuse.

Elliot Morley: The Government have set statutory performance standards for local authorities in 2003–04 and 2005–06 for the recycling and composting of household waste. The targets are based on the amount of household waste recycled and composted in 1998–99 and require each authority, on average, to double its recycling and composting rate by 2003–04, and triple it by 2005–06.
	Local authorities are not required by law to collect commercial and industrial waste but can do so if asked to by an occupier of premises in their area. The occupier is required to pay the local authority for this service. There is no obligation placed upon local authorities to recycle this waste and, if they do, it will not contribute to their statutory performance standards, which only cover household waste.
	Commercial and industrial waste collected by local authorities does, however, fall within the definition of municipal waste and is therefore subject to the Landfill Directive requirements to reduce biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill. All waste disposed of in landfill site is also subject to the Landfill Tax. Both the announced increases in the Landfill Tax to raise it to £35 a tonne in the medium to long-term and the introduction of the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme from 2005, to implement the Landfill Directive requirements, will encourage more recycling.

Recycling

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of (a) domestic refuse, (b) commercial refuse and (c) industrial refuse was recycled in (i) Brent, (ii) London and (iii) England in the last year for which records are available.

Elliot Morley: The information is as follows:
	(a) The most recent year's figures for household waste are found in the Municipal Waste Management Survey for 2001–02.
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 London borough of Brent 7 
			 London 9.3 
			 England 12.4 
		
	
	(b) and (c) The most recent year's figures for commercial waste and for industrial waste are found in the Strategic Waste Management Assessment 2000, published by the Environment Agency, relating to figures for 1998–99. The survey collected data from a sample of 20,000 businesses across England and Wales.
	
		Percentage
		
			  Commercial waste Industrial waste 
		
		
			 London borough of Brent Not collected Not collected 
			 West London (including Brent) 25.5 29.5 
			 Greater London 30.6 37.6 
			 England 22.5 34

US Vessels (Decommissioning)

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the status is of the four ships from the US ghost fleet sent to the UK for decommissioning.

Elliot Morley: The four ships are currently being stored at Hartlepool. Conditions attached to the site's waste management licence prevent any dismantling work on the ships. The site is inspected by the Environment Agency on a fortnightly basis.

US Vessels (Decommissioning)

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what explanation she has received from (a) the US authorities and (b) the US Marine Administration on why warnings given by the Environment Agency on (i) 3 October 2003, (ii) 8 October 2003 and (iii) 10 October 2003 that the four ships from the US ghost fleet should not set out for the UK were not heeded.

Elliot Morley: Discussions with the US authorities and the US Marine Administration which occurred once the vessels had already left the US concentrated on securing the objectives of safety and environmental protection on the vessels. It was considered that temporary storage in Hartlepool best met those objectives. Consequently, no explanation in relation to warnings has been sought or given.

Warm Front

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many households she estimates are eligible for assistance from her Department's Warm Front Scheme; and how many households qualify for the Warm Homes Plus element of the programme.

Elliot Morley: We are preparing estimates of the number of households currently eligible for assistance under Warm Front as part of the next spending round process.
	In addition we will be producing an Implementation Plan on the action required to achieve targets and tackle fuel poverty.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Boxing Day Trading

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will take steps to introduce legislation prohibiting trading on Boxing Day.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 22 January 2004
	I have no plans to do so.

Employment Directive

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Employment Directive improves the work opportunities of older people from disadvantaged groups.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 12 January 2004
	We shall bring legislation into force on 1 October 2006 under the Employment Directive outlawing age discrimination in employment and vocational training. Such legislation will improve the work opportunities of older people from all groups. Our consultation on proposals for this legislation ended in October 2003. We shall consult on draft regulations later this year. People who experience discrimination on other grounds will continue to be protected under the relevant current discrimination legislation.
	In the meantime the Government encourages employers, through the Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment, and the Age Positive campaign, to adopt non-ageist approaches to recruitment, selection, training and development, promotion, redundancy and retirement.

Energy Policy

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average percentage level of availability was for each (a) onshore and (b) offshore windfarm in the UK in the last year for which figures are available. [R]

Stephen Timms: Figures for average levels of availability for individual windfarms are not available for reasons of commercial confidentiality. However the most recent figures available show an average load factor of all UK windfarms as being 29.9 per cent. in 2002.
	Separate figures for offshore windfarms are not yet available as UK's first major offshore windfarm at North Hoyle has only been operational since November last year. However, we would expect average load factors to be greater due to the superior offshore wind resource.
	Source
	DUKES 2003 available on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/inform/energy-stats/renewables/index.shtml. Data for 2003 will become available in June 2003.

Enterprise Act

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers were introduced by the Enterprise Act 2002.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The main provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 are:
	Office of Fair Trading
	The Act establishes the OFT on a statutory basis as a corporate body. The Act provides the OFT with a number of new powers, including the following:
	power to compel persons to answer questions or otherwise provide information or documents relevant to an investigation;
	powers of surveillance, in accordance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000;
	power to apply to court for orders disqualifying directors of companies which have committed a breach of competition law;
	power to enter premises under a warrant.
	Competition Measures
	expert, independent, competition bodies take decisions on mergers and markets against a new competition-based test within a more transparent, predictable and accountable framework;
	there is a new right of appeal to the Competition Appeals Tribunals in merger and market inquiries;
	there are rules for the conduct of the Competition Commission's inquiries allowing for a more transparent remedies-setting phase;
	criminal sanctions with a maximum penalty of five years in prison to deter those individuals who dishonestly operate hardcore cartels—agreements to fix prices, share markets, limit production and rig bids;
	there are greater opportunities to gain redress for victims of anti-competitive behaviour, consumer bodies who are able to make claims on behalf of individuals who have suffered.
	Consumer Protection Measures
	the Stop Now Orders regime has been extended to protect consumers from traders who do not meet their legal obligations;
	the OFT is able to give formal approval to codes of practice;
	consumer bodies are able to make 'super-complaints' to the OFT.
	Insolvency Reforms
	The Crown's preferential right to recover unpaid taxes ahead of other creditors have been abolished;
	reform of corporate insolvency law and a streamlining of administration;
	a new Bankruptcy Restrictions Order regime has been introduced;
	the financial regime of the Insolvency Service has been modernised.

Estate Agent Ombudsman Scheme

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received on the operation of the Estate Agent Ombudsman scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: None. I expect the OFT to publish its report on estate agents shortly. I will study the recommendations carefully.

Manufacturing Industry

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many young people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have entered the manufacturing industry following school in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many young people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have been employed in the manufacturing industry in each year since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from J. Pullinger to Mr. Stephen Hepburn, dated 29 January 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about young people employed in the manufacturing industry. I am replying in his absence. (145121 and 145122)
	The attached table gives estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 24 resident in the United Kingdom and the North East region employed in the manufacturing industry, for the twelve month period ending November of each year from 1997 to 2003. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS sample size is too small to give reliable estimates for South Tyneside or the Jarrow Parliamentary Constituency.
	Although the LFS can provide some retrospective information, its principal focus is on the current labour market status of people when they are interviewed. No estimates of young people who left school to enter manufacturing industry are available.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability.
	
		Young people(10) employed in the manufacturing industry(11) by area of residence -- Thousand
		
			 12-month periodending November United Kingdom North East 
		
		
			 1997 679 33 
			 1998 654 32 
			 1999 604 29 
			 2000 537 27 
			 2001 530 24 
			 2002 502 22 
			 2003 447 20 
		
	
	(10) People aged 16–24
	(11) People whose main job is in Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 1992 Division D: Manufacturing
	Note:
	These LFS estimates have not been adjusted to reflect the 2001 Census results.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Ling Dynamics Ltd.

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letters of 13 November 2003 and 15 December 2003 from the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire on her Department's relationship with Ling Dynamics Ltd. of Royston.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 26 January 2004
	Following his letter of 13 November, the hon. Member will recall that I telephoned him to discuss his constituent's concerns. The hon. Member will also recall that, in early 2003, we both met with Mr. Williams to discuss various export control-related issues. We are well aware of the difficulties that Mr. Williams of Ling Dynamics Ltd. has been facing and are doing as much as we can to assist him.

Miners Compensation

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what mechanisms are in place to ensure that miners' compensation claims for respiratory diseases are settled within a reasonable period of time.

Nigel Griffiths: The Department and our contractors are doing all we can to speed up the process for respiratory disease claims.
	The company currently contracted to provide the Medical Assessment Process (MAP), Schlumberger, have recruited 250 respiratory specialists to work on this scheme. This represents 40 per cent. of those available in the UK.
	To enable the medical assessments to be converted in to offers, IRISC, the Department's claim handlers, have increased their staff from 160 in November 1999 to around 1,150 at present.
	To assist solicitors in turning round these offers, we have re-launched our website—www.coalclaims.com—where-solicitors are able to send in forms electronically and agree aspects of the claim online, particularly employment histories. Solicitors can also identify from the website their highest priority claims so they can better target their efforts on those cases that are most important.
	The Department has received nearly 400,000 claims so far. We have made some 167,000 individual payments and settled 110,000 claims, totalling £959 million.
	Note:
	The Handling Agreement was approved by the judges concerned who still preside over the process of paying out the compensation. The Department and the claimants' solicitors are required to report back to the judge on progress three to four times a year. The next hearing is 3 February 2004.

Minimum Wage

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley have benefited from the minimum wage since its introduction.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for Lancashire or Chorley. However based on the Office for National Statistics' low pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the north west stood to benefit from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999.
	The DTI estimates that between 130,000 and 160,000 people in the north west benefited from the increase in minimum wage rates in October 2003.

National Power Provision

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the capacity of the national power grid is.

Stephen Timms: Figures published in National Grid Transco's Seven Year Statement of March 2003 show that the capacity of the England and Wales transmission system is 69.1 GW.

National Power Provision

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the projected demand for power is in the United Kingdom over the next 25 years; and what steps she is taking to ensure that this demand is met.

Stephen Timms: The latest provisional DTI energy projections which update those in Energy Paper 68 available in the Libraries of the House, project a demand of 375TWh in 2005, 385TWh in 2010, 386TWh in 2015 and 399TWh in 2020. The projections relate to gross supply to the grid and cover all major power producers and renewable generators and exclude the effect of a number of climate change programme measures whose exact impact had not been estimated at the time of publication.
	The Government attach great importance to reliable energy supplies—reliable supply is one of the four goals of energy policy as set out the Government's Energy White Paper, published in February of last year.
	We believe that a market based approach for provision of electricity generation will work. But if the market is to work it needs confidence that Government will not intervene. We have said we will not intervene in the market except in extreme circumstances, to protect safety, and that remains our position.
	Through the Joint Energy Security of Supply working group (JESS), we and Ofgem continually monitor developments in the gas and electricity markets over the medium to long term and look for ways to improve the operation of the market. The latest JESS report was published on 12 November and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Public Bodies (Membership)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who the members of the (a) National Consumer Council, (b) Welsh Consumer Council, (c) Scottish Consumer Council, (d) Hearing Aid Council and (e) Gas Consumer Council were on 1 January; what their term of office is in each case; and what their remuneration is.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			 Name Appointment ends Remuneration (£) 
		
		
			 (a) National Consumer Council   
			 Deirdre Hutton (Chair) 31 December 2006 48,567 
			 Robert Chilton (Vice-Chair) 30 September 2004 13,100 
			 Graeme Millar (Member and SCC Chair) 30 April 2006 10,481 
			 Vivienne Sugar (Member and WCC Chair) 31 March 2007 10,481 
			 Stephen Costello (Member and GCCNI Chair) 31 December 2005 10,481 
			 Mark Boleat (Member) 31 December 2005 10,481 
			 Andrew Dilnot (Member) 30 June 2008 10,481 
			 Dianne Hayter (Member) 30 September 2004 10,481 
			 Sir Christopher Kelly (Member) 30 September 2004 10,481 
			 Stephen Locke (Member) 30 September 2004 10,481 
			 Julie Mellor (Member) 30 September 2004 10,481 
			 Julia Unwin (Member) 30 September 2004 10,481 
			
			 (b) Welsh Consumer Council   
			 Viv Sugar (Chair) 31 March 2007 6,902 
			 Heather Coates (Member) 30 September 2004 100 per day 
			 Stephen Delahaye (Member) 30 September 2004 100 per day 
			 Carys Evans (Member) 30 September 2004 100 per day 
			 Gerallt Hughes 30 September 2004 100 per day 
			 Chris Neary 30 September 2004 100 per day 
			 Anne Morgan 30 September2004 100 per day 
			 Thelma Parry 30 September 2005 100 per day 
			
			 (c) Scottish Consumer Council   
			 Graeme Millar 30 April 2006 16,192 
			 Heather Brash 31 October 2007 100 per day 
			 Ann Clark 31 May 2006 100 per day 
			 Neil Edwards 31 May 2006 100 per day 
			 John Hanlon 31 May 2006 100 per day 
			 Kay Blair 31 May 2008 100 per day 
			 Liz Breckinridge 31 May 2008 100 per day 
			 Peter Hunter 31 May 2008 100 per day 
			 Alan Hutton 31 May 2008 100 per day 
			 Adriene Kelbie 31 May 2008 100 per day 
			 Ashok Khindrea 31 May 2008 100 per day 
			 Isabelle Low 31 May 2008 100 per day 
			 Mukami McCrum 31 May 2008 100 per day 
			 Drew Ratter 31 May 2008 100 per day 
			 (d) The Hearing Aid Council   
			 Christopher Hughes (Chair) 31 August 2006 189.50 per day (max 50 days) 
			 Christine Pearce 31 December 2004 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 Deepak Prasher 31 December 2004 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 Victoria Skeels 31 December 2004 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 Jonathan Ormerod 31 December 2004 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 Maurice Hawthorne 31 December 2005 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 Mark Geogevic 31 December 2005 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 Margaret Hughes 31 December 2005 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 Denise Yates 31 December 2005 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 Huw Thomas 31 December 2006 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 John lrwin 31 December 2006 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 Peter Ormerod 31 December 2006 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			 Anthony Corcoran 31 December 2006 189.50 per day (max 25 days) 
			
			 (e) Gas and Electricity Consumer Council1  
			 Andrew Horsler (Acting Chair) 31 March 2005 33,324 (as acting chair) 
			 John Hanlon 31 March 2005 10,796 
			 Bob Wilkinson 31 March 2005 10,796 
			 Tim Cole 31 March 2005 7,556 
			 Sharon Darcy 31 March 2005 7,556 
			 Neil Menzies 31 March 2005 7,556 
			 Les Roberts 31 March 2005 7,556 
		
	
	(12) Following the passage of the Utilities Act 2000, the Gas Consumers' Council and the Electricity Consumers' Committees of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) were abolished in November 2000, and replaced by the Gas and Electricity Consumer Council (GECC).
	Note:
	The GECC's Chief Executive, Allan Asher, is also a member of the Council.

Sellafield (MOX Facility)

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the current operational status of the MOX demonstration facility at Sellafield is; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 27 January 2004
	Since February 2002, in accordance with a licence issued by Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII), BNFL has operated the MOX Demonstration Facility (MDF) as a support facility to the Sellafield MOX Plant (SMP).

Supermarket Code of Practice

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government will publish the report of the Office of Fair Trading inquiry into the operation of the voluntary Supermarket Code of Practice.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is expected to conclude its review of the Code of Practice governing supermarkets' relations with their suppliers shortly. The OFT will then send its report to DTI for formal consideration. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will then decide if any action is necessary and publish the report.

TETRA Masts

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with Scottish Executive Ministers about TETRA masts.

Stephen Timms: Neither I nor my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry have had discussions with Scottish Ministers on the subject.

Transport of Nuclear Fuel (Essex)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what measures she has taken to protect trains carrying nuclear fuel and spent nuclear fuel through Essex from terrorist attack;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the vulnerability to terrorist attack of trains travelling through Essex carrying nuclear fuel and spent nuclear fuel;

Stephen Timms: The transport of nuclear fuel strictly adheres to the stringent international and national regulations that govern such movements. In the UK security for the transportation of nuclear material is regulated by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS). OCNS is kept fully briefed about terrorist threat intelligence and in turn keeps security arrangements under review at all times. It is not Government policy to disclose details of security measures or nuclear fuel movements, which may be of potential use to terrorists.

Transport of Nuclear Fuel (Essex)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many trains per month travel in Essex carrying (a) nuclear fuel and (b) spent nuclear fuel.

Stephen Timms: On average the movement of flasks containing spent nuclear fuel through Essex amounts to 12 separate rail movements per month. There are no fresh fuel movements currently through Essex by rail.

World Trade Organisation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which members of the World Trade Organisation have still to implement fully the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Basic Telecommunications.

Mike O'Brien: The WTO agreement on basic telecommunications came into effect on 5 February 1998. To date, 70 WTO members have adopted the agreement. The nature of the GATS agreement means that members are free to choose the pace and extent of any commitments they wish to make.

World Trade Organisation

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is on admitting Russia to the World Trade Organisation; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 27 January 2004
	The Government supports Russian membership of the WTO, on the right terms, as both in our interests and in the interests of Russian economic development. We support the negotiating position taken by the European Commission on behalf of the EU, and we call upon the Russian Government to respond positively to the points raised by the Commission on our behalf. We also call upon the Russian Government to address the issues that have been identified by their WTO Accession Working Party as material to the readiness and ability of Russia to implement WTO rules upon accession. Since December 2000, the UK has provided £1.2 million worth of technical assistance to Russia to support their efforts to accede to the WTO.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Queen (Diamond Jubilee)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if the Government will make arrangements for a Diamond Jubilee Baton Relay should London host the 2012 Olympics;
	(2)  what plans she has to link the 2012 Olympic Games bid to the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee;
	(3)  if she will recommend to the organisers of the London 2012 Olympic bid that they place more emphasis in their bid on the fact that 2012 will also be the Diamond Jubilee.

Tessa Jowell: The Government and the bid company, London 2012, are fully aware that it would be a momentous occasion to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the same year as Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Some of the events to celebrate the Golden Jubilee were successfully integrated into the staging of the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games. It is too early to consider what specific celebrations will mark the Diamond Jubilee but London 2012 will consider what links could be made should we stage the Games. The IOC will select the host city on 6 July 2005.

DEFENCE

Airfield Support Service Project

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Airfield Support Service Project; when it was put out to tender; how many times bidders have been asked to resubmit their bids; what the projected date for conclusion of the bidding process was; when it will take place; and when the public sector comparator was finalised.

Adam Ingram: The Airfield Support Services Project tender was issued on 20 September 2001.
	Since receipt of their responses in April 2002, bidders have been requested to review their prices on three occasions—in December 2002, May 2003 and September 2003.
	The original projected date for conclusion of the bidding process (Contract Let) was October 2003. The latest revised programme is mid-2004.
	The Public Sector Comparator was originally set in September 2001 and communicated to bidders in November 2001. Since then there have been two revisions, which were advised to bidders in March 2002 and February 2003.

Colchester Garrison

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress on proposals for the building of the new garrison at Colchester; what has caused delays; and when he expects work to start.

Adam Ingram: The project to redevelop Colchester Garrison and to provide facilities management for the site has been complex to negotiate. It is very important to our people that we secure these much needed improvements to the Garrison and we have been working hard with our preferred bidder, RMPA to resolve all outstanding issues. I expect to make an announcement on the project in the very near future.

Procurement (Outsourcing)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's procurement policy with regard to offshore IT and call centre outsourcing; whether his Department is outsourcing IT and call centre jobs to offshore companies; to which countries his Department has outsourced these jobs; how much his Department has spent on this outsourcing in each of the last two years; and how much has been budgeted for this purpose for the next two years.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk, East (Mr. Connarty) on 29 October 2003, Official Report, column 220W.

Remembrance Day

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the laying of wreaths on Remembrance Day at the graves of Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers on behalf of the Royal Irish Regiment.

Ivor Caplin: There is no official policy regarding the laying of wreaths on behalf of the Royal Irish Regiment on the graves of fallen soldiers from antecedent regiments. However, this does not prevent Royal Irish Regiment battalions from carrying out individual acts of remembrance at the discretion of the Commanding Officer and where resources and appropriate personnel are available. Where it is not possible to carry on such acts and where Regimental Associations consider that a requirement still exists, the Royal Irish Regiment would encourage the respective associations to take on and carry on the tradition.

Reservists

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions apply to the renewed call-up of a reservist who has completed a six-month operational deployment; and what time must elapse before he or she can be called up again.

Ivor Caplin: The Reserve Forces Act 1996 (RFA 96) sets specific limits for mobilised Service under different call-out orders. Under a section 52 call-out order (national danger, great emergency or attack on the UK), reservists may serve for a total of three years in five; under section 54 (warlike operations), reservists may serve for a total of one year in three; and under section 56 (essentially peacekeeping and disaster relief), reservists may serve for a total of nine months in 27.
	Once mobilised, and subject to the needs of the Services and their Commanding Officer's approval, it is possible for a reservist to volunteer to extend their mobilised Service beyond the limits set by RFA 96; usually for six months at a time. However, there are normally theatre specific limits to the period a reservist can serve. This is to ensure that no one serves too long in an operational environment.
	Once demobilised, it is possible to call-out a reservist immediately, provided he has enough mobilised service available. However, in general we would not do so unless there were overriding operational reasons.

Sea King Helicopters

Paul Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conclusions have been reached by his Department's review of the investigation into the collision of two UK Sea King helicopters, from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, off Iraq on 22 March 2003; what the implications were of the non-availability of night vision goggles for the pilots; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 26 January 2004
	A Board of Inquiry into the circumstances leading to the collision of the two Sea Kings from 849 Naval Air Squadron on 22 March 2003, was completed last November. The purpose of the Board of Inquiry was:
	to establish the facts surrounding the incident;
	to discover whether there were any shortcomings in Service equipment or procedures which either caused or contributed to the incident; and
	where necessary, to make recommendations.
	The BOI concluded that:
	Both aircraft had reported visual contact with each other, but apparently lost situational awareness and collided. The aircraft were responsible for their own safety at the time of collision.
	Following the BOI operating procedures are being reviewed.
	A full technical investigation by the Royal Navy Flight Safety and Accident Investigation Centre is still under way, and the report of its findings is not expected for some time.
	Helicopter flight safety is achieved through a number of measures including air traffic control, radar detection of hazards, communications, lighting and lookout. Night Vision Goggles (NVG) can, in certain circumstances, enhance these capabilities. However, NVG can be operated only in aircraft that have been specifically modified for this role and from compatible ships. Naval helicopters are fitted to allow operation with NVG according to their tactical role in operations. The operational role for the helicopters of 849 Naval Air Squadron involved in Operation Telic did not require the modifications to the helicopters that are necessary for the provision of NVG. We are currently considering whether to adopt as policy a fleet-wide NVG capability.
	The next of kin have been informed of the outcome of the BOI.

UK Nuclear Weapons Tests

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken to categorise into sub-groups by (a) operational activity and (b) incident those covered by the National Radiological Protection Board study of participants in UK nuclear weapons tests.

Ivor Caplin: The results of the epidemiological studies published by the National Radiological Protection Board have been presented in terms of mortality for all types of cancer, cancer incidence and risk relative to a comparison group within the following sub-categories: (a) by operation; (b) for participants with a recorded radiation dose as well as monitored participants with no recorded radiation dose (with information provided on the relative risks for these categories plus an analysis for any trend in mortality or cancer incidence for those with a recorded radiation dose); (c) personnel identified by MOD as liable to exposure to radiation (for example those aircrew involved in sampling radioactive clouds); and (d) personnel directly involved in the minor trials at Maralinga.

UK Nuclear Weapons Tests

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding has been granted to the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association to commission scientific advice on the epidemiology of exposure to nuclear tests.

Ivor Caplin: To date no funding has been granted to the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association (BNTVA) for purposes of commissioning scientific advice. The three independent studies by the National Radiological Protection Board into mortality and cancer incidence among nuclear test veterans were commissioned and funded by the Ministry of Defence.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Brent Housing Partnership

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of Brent Housing Partnership homes are fitted with (a) smoke alarms, (b) fire doors and (c) double glazing.

Keith Hill: This is primarily a matter for Brent Housing Partnership (BHP), the Arms Length Management Organisation that manages 13,500 tenanted and leasehold homes owned by the London Borough of Brent. BHP reports that 34 per cent. of these homes now have smoke alarms, 23 per cent. have double glazing, and that planned works will increase these figures to 80 per cent. by April 2006 and 32 per cent. by September 2004 respectively. The hon. Member may wish to contact BHP to discuss the information she requires on fire doors.

Council Tax

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage increase in council tax he considers to be profligate; and how he defines low single figure percentage increases.

Nick Raynsford: With the significant extra investment we have put into local government and the scope for efficiency improvements, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's view is that local authorities can and should deliver council tax increases in low single figures in 2004–05. It would not be appropriate for the Government to specify a figure at this time. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not want to use its powers to cap local authority budgets but is prepared to use them, if necessary, to protect council taxpayers from excessive council tax rises.

Fire and Rescue Service

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his regionalisation agenda for the Fire and Rescue Service envisages a single control room for all Fire Brigades in each region.

Nick Raynsford: The Government accept the conclusions of the Mott MacDonald report, on the "Future of Fire and Rescue Service Control Rooms in England and Wales", published in December 2003. It believes that control rooms at regional level are appropriate for reasons of governance, resilience and intra-service working. It is seeking the views of the Practitioners' Forum, authorities and the service on the conclusions of the report and the Government's response. Copies of the report are available in the Library of the House.

Gypsy and Traveller Sites

Andrew Selous: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the likely change in demand for gypsy and traveller sites following the admission to the EU of the accession states on 1 May.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not made an assessment of the likely change in demand for gypsy and traveller sites following the admission to the EU of the accession states on 1 May.
	Research undertaken by the Home Office on migration flows into the UK after enlargement concluded that there would not be a significant increase from current levels.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will keep the issue of the possible demand for additional sites in mind while it reviews its policies on gypsy and traveller site provision, which is due to report to Ministers in the summer.

Housing

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the availability of affordable housing in each of the Lancashire districts; and what plans he has to increase availability.

Keith Hill: This is a matter for local assessment. National planning advice in Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 "Housing" (PPG3) makes it clear that each local authority should assess the local need for affordable housing within its area.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has published for consultation proposed changes to the current policies for affordable housing set out in PPG3 and in Circular 6/98, 'Planning for Affordable Housing'. They include allowing local authorities to seek affordable housing on smaller sites where this is justified. The proposed changes are designed to help deliver more affordable housing where it is needed, and deliver a better match between a community's housing needs and supply.

Regional Assemblies

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether it is the Government's policy that the proposals for elected regional assemblies will not involve any review of the Barnett formula.

Nick Raynsford: There are no plans to review the Barnett formula as a result of elected regional assemblies. The Government keeps all aspects of public spending under review, with allocations to the devolved administrations and the details of the Barnett formula updated in the spending review process in the normal way.

Robson Rhodes Review

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on when the Robson Rhodes review on the operation of supporting people is expected to report.

Yvette Cooper: The Government have received the report on the independent review and are considering their recommendations carefully. The Government will publish the report and announce their response shortly.

TETRA Masts

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidelines have been issued by his Department on the siting of TETRA masts.

Keith Hill: Current planning guidance for all electronic communication developments is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 (revised) (PPG8). The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also issued a Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Civil Servants

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants, broken down by grade, there are in the Department and the agencies for which the Department is responsible; and what the figures were in January 1997.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is as follows.
	
		Staff numbers by grade
		
			 Grade 1 April 1997(13) 1 October 2003(13) 
		
		
			 SMS 450 474 
			 D7 85 194 
			 D6 581 702 
			 C5 362 565 
			 C4 1,081 1,260 
			 B3 1,490 1,323 
			 A2 1,327 1,188 
			 Al 236 351 
			 Total 5,612 6,057 
		
	
	(13) Includes Wilton Park.

EU Directives

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many directives that should have been transposed into national law have not yet been transposed in (a) France and (b) Germany.

Denis MacShane: The European Commission recently reported that France had transposed 97.41 per cent. and Germany 97.33 per cent. of directives that were due for implementation by 31 December 2003.
	The European Commission report is available on the European Union website: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat general/sgb/droit com/pdf/mne country 2003123l en.pdf

European Union

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mid-term Lisbon process targets the European Union has said it will (a) meet and (b) miss; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The hon. Gentlemen will be interested in the European Commission's "Delivering Lisbon'" report, published on 21 January—copies have been placed in the Library of the House. The report notes that although the EU has made some progress in job creation, market liberalisation and creation of a knowledge-based economy, there remains considerable work to be done if the EU is to meet its 2010 goal of becoming the most dynamic economy in the world. The Commission notes that the 2005 mid-term employment targets are likely lo be missed and it therefore urges member states to reinvigorate their commitment to the Lisbon reform agenda. The UK Government support this aim and will be looking to the March 25–26 European Council to provide this impetus.

Falkland Islands

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the entry requirements are for visitors to the Falkland Islands; what visa restrictions are in place; to residents of which countries they apply; and what procedures are in place for those arriving without the correct documentation.

Jack Straw: Entry requirements for visitors to the Falkland Islands are the responsibility of the Falkland Islands Government and are implemented by the Falkland Islands Immigration Service.
	All visitors must have a valid passport. A valid visa is also required except by citizens of the UK, USA, Chile, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, San Marino, Andorra, Vatican City and countries of the European Community, the EEA, Mercosur and the Commonwealth. Transit passengers do not require a visa if they are continuing their journey immediately. Tourists are required to demonstrate on arrival that they have onward travel arrangements, accommodation and sufficient funds for their visit.
	A visa national arriving without a valid visa may apply for a visa at the airport on arrival. Individuals arriving without a valid passport would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Liberia

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UN peacekeeping force in Liberia; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The UN peacekeeping force in Liberia (UNMIL) currently consists of 9,000 troops, increasing to 15,000 by the end of March 2004, UNMIL initially deployed to Monrovia and its immediate surrounds. As numbers increase the force is extending its reach throughout the country. UNMIL is responsible for the disarmament and demobilisation process. It has collected about 9,000 weapons; is constructing three cantonment camps; and is sensitising ex-combatants towards the peace process. It is also actively involved in humanitarian relief and has made several valuable interventions to protect Liberian citizens.

Overseas Bribery and Corruption

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance diplomatic posts offer to UK companies about the use of agents and intermediaries.

Mike O'Brien: UK Trade and Investment, which operates overseas through UK Diplomatic posts, offers guidance as appropriate on agents and intermediaries in overseas markets. Guidance varies according to the circumstances of the local market or sector. Examples of advice can be viewed on the Sectors and Markets area of UK Trade and Investment's public website: www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

Road Map

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had within the last six weeks with the representatives of the (a) US Administration, (b) Russian Government and (c) EU in relation to progress on the Middle East Road Map; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 28 January 2004
	In the last six weeks or so, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has discussed progress on the roadmap for peace in the Middle East with President Bush, President Putin and with EU leaders at the European Council in Brussels. In the same period my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has discussed this issue with US Secretary of State Colin Powell and EU Foreign Ministers. Most recently my noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean has discussed these issues with Marc Otte, the EU representation on the Middle East on 27 January.
	The Government are committed to progress towards peace in the Middle East based on the Quartet's roadmap. We have been disappointed by the lack of progress on Phase One of the roadmap. Israel should implement a settlement freeze and remove the settlement outposts erected since March 2001. The Palestinian Authority should undertake sustained, targeted and effective operations against terrorists.

Singapore (Death Penalty)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Singaporean Government in relation to the use of the death penalty in that country.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised this issue during a meeting with his counterpart in Singapore on 8 January 2003. He stated the United Kingdom's opposition to the use of the death penalty and explained our experience of using long custodial sentences as an alternative. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Director General (Economic) also drew attention to the UK position when he met the Permanent Under Secretary of the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 4 March 2003.

South Africa

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which (a) Ministers and (b) officials from his Department met the former South African Defence Minister, Mr. Joe Modise, when he visited the UK during 1998; and whether his Department was informed of the visit and its purpose.

Chris Mullin: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no record of Mr. Joe Modise visiting the UK in 1998.

PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Minutes

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Prime Minister whether recordings are kept of telephone conversations to and from 10 Downing street.

Tony Blair: Telephone conversations to and from Downing street are not recorded.

Prisoners (Egypt)

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 26 January 2004, Official Report, column 50W, on prisoners (Egypt), if he will meet President Mubarak to discuss the case of the three detainees held in prison in Cairo.

Tony Blair: I have no current plans to do so.
	I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave him on 26 January 2004, Official Report, column 50W.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Clergy Terms of Service

Ben Chapman: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners if he will make a statement on the first report of the McClean Review on clergy terms of service.

Stuart Bell: The McClean report was published on 23 January and will be debated by the General Synod on 12 February. Subject to the views of Synod, the Report will then be the subject of consultation throughout the Church.
	It recommends conferring through Church legislation a new package of rights and responsibilities for clergy. This will include: access to Employment Tribunals to claim unfair dismissal (at the same time as retaining the office holder status of clergy); legal entitlement to the rights covered by section 23 of the Employment Relations Act (except for the right not to work on Sundays); a new form of tenure, known as common tenure under which appointments for clergy without the freehold would normally be made until retirement; new Clergy Terms of Service Regulations which would clarify the responsibilities of clergy on a national basis; and a capability procedure to be invoked where clergy are failing to reach minimum standards.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Arms Trade Treaty

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what response he has made to the recent representations from international charities about an international arms trade treaty.

Hilary Benn: I wrote to Oxfam, Amnesty International and the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) on 18 October, welcoming the launch of the Arms Trade Treaty as a useful contribution to the international debate on arms issues. The UK supports the goal of an international instrument on arms transfers, although to be effective any such measure would have to enjoy the support of all major arms exporting countries.
	The UK Government are working to promote tougher controls on arms exports at an international level. In January 2003, DFID, FCO and MOD hosted a conference at Lancaster House on strengthening international controls on arms exports. The UK organised a meeting during the July UN Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms, which sought to follow up on the Lancaster House conference.
	These consultations suggest that there are many areas of common ground and significant political will among States. They also demonstrate that more needs to be done before we can secure a universal commitment to strengthening export controls.
	In the next two years the UK will continue to call for international controls and support a series of regional meetings, to build consensus on the need for common, harmonised controls. We hope that if there is sufficient support at the regional level, then an international agreement could be reached by the 2006 UN Review Conference on Small Arms. Although the draft Arms Trade Treaty covers all arms, not just Small Arms and Light Weapons, many of its principles are similar to those we are promoting as part of the UK initiative on strengthening transfer controls.
	Between 2001 and 2004, the UK is providing over £20 million to programmes targeted at controlling the supply, demand and availability of arms.

Colombia

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has held with the UN High Commission for Human Rights about the future of the Commission's office in Colombia.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Neither the Secretary of State nor myself have personally spoken to the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) about this, but officials in DFID and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office keep in close contact with their work in Colombia.

Global Health Fund

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the $200 million pledged by the Government to the Global Health Fund over five years has been disbursed.

Hilary Benn: The UK has pledged an additional US$80 million to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). This will bring our total contribution to US$280 million and extend our current funding commitment to 2008.
	To date, the UK has disbursed £75million to the GFATM, or approximately US$120 million.

South Africa

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the underlying cause of the 50 per cent. rise in basic service prices in South Africa; and what is being done to remedy this.

Hilary Benn: It is difficult to make an overall assessment of the rise in prices of basic services in South Africa. The latest consumer price index figures published by Statistics South Africa suggest that overall inflation was 4.8 per cent. for the year to November 2003, while the price of fuel and power in urban areas rose over the same period by 6.8 per cent.
	The Government of South Africa is committed to providing free basic services to the poor. The Free Basic Water policy entitles poor households to 6,000 litres of water each month, and the Free Basic Electricity policy to 50 kilowatt hours of electricity each month, free of charge. Poor households must pay for their use of services above these thresholds.

South Africa

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided to South Africa broken down by (a) programme type, (b) programme name and (c) funding provided in each of the last six years.

Hilary Benn: DFID's assistance to South Africa over the last six financial years has totalled:
	
		000s
		
			 Financial Year Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 25,549 
			 1998–99 28,858 
			 1999–2000 29,557 
			 2000–01 30,115 
			 2001–02 25,485 
			 2002–03 36,435 
		
	
	I will write to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington with a list of the programmes which make up this total.

South Africa

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research his Department have (a) conducted and (b) commissioned into numbers of (i) pharmacists, (ii) doctors and (iii) nurses in South Africa; and what assessment he has made of South Africa's ability to implement its plan to distribute anti-retroviral AIDS drugs to its HIV-positive citizens.

Hilary Benn: DFID have not commissioned or conducted any such research. The South African Government's plan for the comprehensive care, management and treatment of HIV/AIDS envisages that anti-retroviral drugs will be introduced progressively, with all who need them having access within five years. The plan takes into account the need to train additional health professionals. DFID are in discussion with the Government of South Africa about how the UK can best support the implementation of the plan.

South Africa

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided to fighting HIV/AIDS in South Africa broken down by (a) programme type, (b) programme name and (c) funding provided in each of the last six years.

Hilary Benn: DFID's assistance for HIV/AIDS in South Africa over the last six financial years has totalled:
	
		000s
		
			 Financial Year Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,925 
			 1998–99 3,056 
			 1999–2000 3,088 
			 2000–01 4,345 
			 2001–02 4,442 
			 2002–03 8,758 
		
	
	I will write to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington with a list of the programmes which make up this total.

UK Aid

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the Department's bilateral aid projects which have been evaluated as successful; and if he will publish the most recent criteria.

Hilary Benn: All DFID projects and programmes, which are at least two years old and have a commitment value of £1 million and over, are reviewed annually and scored on likely success. The outcome of the review is recorded on DFID's central Performance Reporting Information System (PRISM), and is used to track DFID's performance against its Public Service Agreement (PSA) Value for Money Target.
	The success rating consists of a 5-point scoring system ranging from 1 ('Likely to be "Completely" achieved') and 2 ('Likely to be "Largely" achieved') to 5 ('"Unlikely" to be realised'). In the context of the PSA, successful projects are those that have been scored as 1 or 2. Projects scored 3 ('projects likely to be "partially" achieved') are not counted when measuring progress against our PSA target. However, they will also include a range of successful outcomes. Projects are disaggregated by risk.
	The following table shows the total number and proportion by commitment value of bilateral projects of £1 million and over that were reviewed as scoring 1 or 2 in calendar year 2003 (broken down by geographical region and risk category).
	
		Value for money divisional breakdown for calendar year 2003
		
			  High Medium Low 
			 Risk category Number of projects Percentage of commitment value Number of projects Percentage of commitment value Number of projects Percentage of commitment value 
		
		
			 Africa 30 34 188 48 80 85 
			 Asia 30 14 125 62 69 79 
			 Europe, Middle East and Americas 23 66 108 67 58 67 
			 Others 6 94 67 55 76 63 
		
	
	A list detailing the individual projects of £1 million and over covered in the table has been placed in the Library of the House, entitled 'Projects in 2003'. The project list is broken down by DFID department and region.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Speeding

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the net figure remitted to the Home Office in respect of speeding fines raised by police forces in England and Wales was in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	All fines for speeding offences are paid to the courts. Some revenue from speeding fines resulting from safety camera activity is netted off and returned to local authorities and police forces within safety camera partnerships for the operation of approved safety cameras. The balance is passed to the Consolidated Fund and none are passed to Government Departments.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Expert Witnesses

Tim Loughton: To ask the Solicitor-General 
	(1)  if she will list experts who (a) are currently and (b) have been in the last 10 years on the official list of expert witnesses for cases related to harm of children by their parents or carers;
	(2)  how long Sir Roy Meadow has been included on the official list of expert witnesses;
	(3)  what the procedure is for (a) including, (b) removing and (c) reviewing the appropriateness of continued inclusion of individuals on the official list of expert witnesses.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Solicitor-General what requirements were placed on Sir Roy Meadow in his capacity as an expert witness for the prosecution in criminal and civil cases to retain his notes for those cases after guilty verdicts have been secured.

Harriet Harman: There are no specific requirements for the retention of personal notes following either a criminal or civil trial. Experts may be required to annex their original reports to a statement in order to explain their findings. There is also a statutory duty on expert witnesses to ensure that any information, which may undermine the prosecution's case, is disclosed.
	The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health does not issue guidance to practitioners on retention of data. However, there is a professional duty upon all expert witnesses to consider carefully the possible use to which notes and records may be required in the future, for example possible appeals.
	The Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners is implementing a system of registration of forensics practitioners. Each expert will be bound by a code of practice which will require practitioners to retain their work in order that it can be reviewed if necessary at a later date by another member of the Council.
	The Intercollegiate Working Group chaired by Baroness Kennedy is examining issues surrounding the provision of training for expert witnesses and their use in the investigation process. The Group will report its findings in the Spring.
	There is no single official list of persons considered expert witnesses. Various organisations and bodies hold lists of expert witnesses for the purpose of assisting both their own members and other bodies which may require the assistance of an expert. The National Crime and Operations Faculty of the police force retains a database of persons with expertise in a wide range of areas, which is available to other law enforcement agencies. Other similar databases include those held by the Law Society, which retains a database for the use of its members. The Home Office retains a database of pathologists, registered to conduct post mortems on behalf of police or coroners. The Crown Prosecution Service does not retain a central database of experts. Some CPS Areas do keep a list of suitable experts for use in cases.
	The National Crime and Operations Faculty (NCOF) and its database have been in existence since 1997. It currently retains details on a wide range of experts, both medical and non-medical, which is used by police forces, security services and the Crown Prosecution Service.
	The various bodies maintaining a database will each have different methods of inclusion and exclusion of experts. With respect to the NCOF database individual experts will be included usually following a referral by a police area as to suitability for inclusion. Professional credentials and experience are then carefully considered prior to any decision being taken to include the expert on the database.
	The NCOF does not delete experts from its database, in order that a historical record is maintained. If concerns arise over a particular expert then a decision would be taken over his or her continued use. If the decision were not to use that expert again the record would be marked accordingly.
	The National Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners is in the process of implementing registration of forensic practitioners nationally. This will cover all types of forensic practitioners but at present does not include paediatricians. Registration with the Council as a forensic practitioner is only possible after an assessment of an applicant's professional experience and credentials. Once suitable assessors are identified the scheme will be extended to paediatricians. This is a voluntary scheme, however once completed it will represent a definitive list of suitably competent practitioners.

Foreign Public Officials (Bribery)

Simon Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General what criteria are used by the Serious Fraud Office to determine whether to initiate an investigation into bribery of a foreign public official.

Harriet Harman: The key criterion the SFO uses when deciding whether to accept a case is that the suspected fraud appears to be so serious or complex that its investigation should be carried out by those responsible for its prosecution. The following factors are taken into account:
	1. The sum at risk is estimated to be at least £1 million (this is simply an objective and recognisable signpost of seriousness and likely public concern rather than the main indicator of suitability).
	2. The case is likely to give rise to national publicity and widespread public concern. This would include cases involving Government Departments, public bodies, the governments of other countries as well as commercial cases of public interest.
	3. The investigation requires a highly specialised knowledge of, for example, financial markets and their practices.
	The case has a significant international dimension.
	5. There is a need for legal, accountancy and investigative skills to be brought together in a combined operation.
	6. The suspected fraud appears to be complex and one in which the use of Section 2 powers (Criminal Justice Act 1987) might be appropriate.
	The SFO does not have separate criteria that apply to allegations of bribery of a foreign public official. Allegations of this nature would have to meet the above criteria for the SFO to commence an investigation.

Foreign Public Officials (Bribery)

Simon Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General how many referrals there have been since 1997 to the Serious Fraud Office where bribery of a foreign public official has been an ancillary offence to another offence; and in how many instances since 1997 the SFO has investigated or prosecuted a company or individual for an offence to which bribery of a foreign public official was ancillary, or in which bribery of a foreign public official may have played a part.

Harriet Harman: The SFO have identified five referrals since 1997 where bribery of a foreign public official may have been an ancillary allegation of the wider matter referred. One case is currently under investigation for other offences. The other cases have not resulted in prosecution for any offences.
	The SFO does not routinely record all potential offences that may exist within a referred matter. As such there may have been other referrals that included an element of bribery of foreign officials that was not recorded.

Serious Fraud Office

Simon Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General whether investigation and prosecution under Part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 are included in enforcement priorities of the Serious Fraud Office.

Harriet Harman: Part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act crates new offences. The SFO investigates and prosecutes offences of serious and complex fraud. In selecting cases, it gives priority to those that meet its published criteria agreed by Ministers. The SFO does not prioritise by reference to specific offences.
	Once a case meeting the published acceptance criteria has been accepted for investigation, the SFO must consider which offence/offences are the most appropriate to prosecute. The offences falling under Part 12 of the Anti- terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 can now be considered.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Class Sizes

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will state the average class size of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) Chorley and (ii) Lancashire in each year since 2000.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Maintained primary and secondary schools(14): average class size(15)—Chorley parliamentary constituency and Lancashire local education authority
		
			  Classes taught by one teacher 
			 Position in January Chorley parliamentary constituency Lancashire local education authority 
			 each year: 2000 to2003 Primary Secondary Primary Secondary 
		
		
			 2000 28.3 23.6 27.7 22.7 
			 2001 27.3 23.1 27.3 22.6 
			 2002 26.9 23.6 26.7 22.4 
			 2003 26.8 23.3 26.5 22.5 
		
	
	(14) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(15) Classes as taught during one selected period in each school on the day of the Census in January.
	Source:
	The Annual Schools' Census.

Departmental Policies (Plymouth)

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the (a) Plymouth, Sutton constituency, (b) Plymouth, Devonport constituency and (c) South-West Devon constituency, the effects on (i) Plymouth Travel to Work area and (ii) Plymouth Unitary Authority area of his Department's policies and actions in (A) 2001, (B) 2002 and (C) 2003.

David Miliband: Outlined as follows is background on a range of the Department's policies and actions, and their impact on Plymouth and Devon local education authorities. Where analysis has allowed, constituencies requested and the Plymouth Travel to Work Area are detailed.
	Specialist Schools Programme
	The Specialist Schools Programme is contributing to the creation of a specialist system in which every secondary school has its own special ethos and works with others to spread best practice and raise standards. The programme helps schools, in partnership with private sector sponsors and supported by additional Government funding, to achieve their targets to raise standards. It promotes school improvement by providing opportunities for schools to work to their strengths, enabling them to deliver effective teaching and learning in their area of expertise, as well as across the curriculum, and to drive innovation.
	Any maintained secondary school in England may apply to be designated as specialist in one of 10 areas: arts, business and enterprise, engineering, humanities, language, mathematics and computing, music, science, sports and technology. Schools can also combine any two specialisms.
	There are currently 1,444 specialist schools operating in eight of the 10 specialisms (this represents 46 per cent. of all secondary schools). We expect the first music and humanities colleges to begin operating in September 2004. Over 1.5 million pupils now attend specialist schools—half of all pupils attending secondary schools are attending specialist schools.
	The number of applications from schools wishing to be specialist is at record levels. In October 2001, 267 schools applied; in October 2003 it was 411.
	Specialist schools raise £50,000 from private sector sponsorship (less in the case of schools with less than 500 pupils attending) and prepare four-year development plans for improvements in teaching and learning and involving other local schools and the wider community. Designated schools receive a £100,000 capital grant and £126 per pupil per annum for four years. Schools making good progress in meeting their targets can apply for extension funding for another four years.
	The Government have set a target to increase the number of specialist schools to 2,000 by 2006. The aim is that all secondary schools will become specialist schools.
	Beacon schools:
	The Department is currently phasing out the existing beacon schools programme.
	The leading edge partnership programme is specific to secondary schools and builds on the success of the beacon schools initiative to encourage an accelerated pace of change and improvement. We need our very best schools and departments to play a leading role in this; to encourage excellence, to develop curriculum expertise and to work with other schools to raise standards through improved teaching and learning. Leading secondary schools will work with other secondary school partners to find solutions to the most critical learning challenges and those most likely to have the greatest impact on closing the attainment gap. We are committed to establishing a network of 300 partnerships by 2006.
	In primary, the leading practice programme, described in the recent primary strategy document "Excellence and Enjoyment", a strategy for primary schools, will build on successful practice developed through the beacon programme. We intend to develop a leading practice programme with common national criteria and branding. It will focus on identifying outstanding work in particular areas, within schools that are performing well across the board. The LEA will have a role in working with leading practice schools to ensure they contribute to local networking arrangements so that excellent practice is spread widely.
	Excellence Clusters:
	Excellence Clusters are designed to bring the benefits of Excellence in Cities (EiC) to smaller pockets of deprivation. Some 197 secondary schools and over 440 primary schools are involved in Excellence Clusters. Like EiC, the clusters focus on some of the most deprived areas of the country, using a structured programme designed to raise standards.
	Clusters benefit from extra resources to provide the three core strands of the EiC programme:
	Extended opportunities for Gifted and Talented pupils
	Access to full time Learning Mentors for pupils who need them
	Learning Support Units to tackle disruption.
	A fourth strand of funding is available to target particular local issues, as identified by the schools in each cluster.
	Under our transformation strategy for Education Action Zones (EAZs) established under the Standards and Framework Act 1998 41 of the 73 EAZs will transform to Excellence Clusters. This process will be completed by the end of April 2005.
	Leadership Incentive Grant:
	The Leadership Incentive Grant is intended to accelerate the improvement in standards and to strengthen leadership at all levels in schools. The grant also enables schools to work together to share expertise, resources and effective practice to strengthen teaching and learning.
	Primary Leadership Strategy:
	In 2003, primary schools in every LEA were invited to take part in the Leadership Programme, funded by the Primary National Strategy and developed in partnership with the National College for School Leadership (NCSL). (The National Primary Strategy is a holistic whole-school improvement strategy, building on and incorporating the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies.)
	The programme seeks to support schools in improving the leadership of the teaching and learning of English and mathematics, helping to ensure that the rate of progress of children within the school community continues to improve as more reach the standards expected.
	Sure Start:
	Sure Start programmes work with parents-to-be, parents and children to promote the physical, intellectual and social development of young children—particularly those who are disadvantaged—so that they can flourish at home, when they get to school and during later life. The programme aims to help strengthen families and reduce child poverty by enabling parents to maximise their opportunities to work, learn and study, confident their children are being cared for in a safe and stimulating environment; and contribute to building and sustaining strong local communities through high quality and innovatively delivered family services, which respond to the needs of the communities they serve.
	Connexions:
	Connexions is the Government's front line support service for all young people in England aged 13–19. Connexions will play an integral role in the delivery of the agenda for reform on services for children and young people proposed in the Green Paper "Every child matters".
	Through multi-agency working, Connexions provides integrated advice guidance and access to personal development opportunities to help remove barriers to learning and progression and ensure young people make a smooth transition to adulthood and working life. Personal advisers play a lead professional role. They provide advice on careers and lifestyle issues as well as barriers such as homelessness and drugs. They refer young people to specialist support where needed.
	The new vision statement for Connexions launched in November 2002, signed by eight Government Ministers, re-affirmed the universal nature of the service.
	Connexions' overarching objective is to reduce the number of 16 to 18-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (MEET). Connexions Partnerships have a target of reducing local MEET numbers by 10 per cent. by November 2004.
	Plymouth, Devonport
	Four specialist schools covering Arts and Technology;
	One beacon school (primary);
	14 EiC Excellence Cluster schools;
	Four secondary schools receive Leadership Incentive Grant;
	One primary school is part of Primary Leadership Strategy;
	Sure Start and Connexions programmes in operation.
	Plymouth, Sutton
	Three specialist schools covering Arts, Engineering and Technology;
	Two beacon schools (one primary/one secondary);
	Seven EiC Excellence Cluster schools;
	One primary school is part of Primary Leadership Strategy;
	Sure Start and Connexions programmes in operation;
	Lipson Community School is in the top 100 improving maintained schools based on sustained improvement in the GCSE/GNVQ five plus A*-C indicator 2000–03.
	South-West Devon
	Covers two local education authorities:
	Plymouth:
	Three specialist covering Language, Maths and Sports;
	One beacon secondary school;
	Two primary schools part of Primary Leadership Strategy;
	Sure Start and Connexions programmes in operation.
	Devon:
	One specialist covering Sports
	One beacon primary school;
	One primary school is part of Primary Leadership Strategy;
	Sure Start and Connexions programmes in operation.
	Total for South West Devon constituency:
	Four specialist covering Language, Maths and Sports;
	Two beacon schools (one primary/one secondary);
	Three primary schools part of Primary Leadership Strategy;
	Sure Start and Connexions programmes in operation.
	
		Key Stage 1 test/task results at schools in Plymouth areas: 2001–03
		
			  2001 2002 2003 
			  Percentage of pupils at level 2and above: Percentage of pupils at level 2and above: Percentage of pupils at level 2and above: 
			 Area English reading English writing Maths English reading English writing Maths English reading English writing Maths 
		
		
			 Plymouth, Devonport 80 82 88 80 80 88 80 77 88 
			 Plymouth, Sutton 78 81 86 81 81 86 81 80 88 
			 South-West Devon 88 89 93 88 90 94 89 87 93 
			 Plymouth Unitary Authority 81 83 89 82 83 89 82 80 89 
			 Plymouth TTWA 83 84 90 84 84 90 83 80 90 
		
	
	
		Key Stage 2 test/task results at schools in Plymouth areas: 2001–03
		
			  2001 2002 2003 
			  Percentage of pupils at level 4and above: Percentage of pupils at level 4and above: Percentage of pupils at level 4and above: 
			 Area English Maths Science English Maths Science English Maths Science 
		
		
			 Plymouth, Devonport 68 67 83 68 68 83 70 68 84 
			 Plymouth, Sutton 72 69 87 69 70 81 66 68 82 
			 South-West Devon 82 80 93 81 82 92 83 82 93 
			 Plymouth Unitary Authority 72 71 86 71 72 84 72 71 85 
			 Plymouth TTWA 75 73 88 74 74 86 75 74 87 
		
	
	
		Key Stage 3 test/task results at schools in Plymouth areas: 2001–03
		
			  2001 2002 2003 
			  Percentage of pupils at level 5and above: Percentage of pupils at level 5and above: Percentage of pupils at level 5and above: 
			 Area English Maths Science English Maths Science English Maths Science 
		
		
			 Plymouth, Devonport 53 57 58 57 58 59 60 61 59 
			 Plymouth, Sutton 73 76 78 69 74 75 75 76 77 
			 South-West Devon 73 75 77 71 74 77 82 82 83 
			 Plymouth Unitary Authority 64 67 68 63 67 68 69 70 69 
			 Plymouth TTWA 65 69 70 66 73 70 73 73 73 
		
	
	
		Key Stage 4 attainment at schools in Plymouth areas: 2001–03
		
			  2001 2002 
			 Area Percentage gaining five plus GCSEs at A*-C Percentage gaining one plus GCSEs at A*-G Percentage gaining five plus GCSEs at A*-G Percentage gaining five plus GCSEs at A*-C Percentage gaining one plus GCSEs at A*-G Percentage gaining five plus GCSEs at A*-G 
		
		
			 Plymouth, Devonport 34.3 94.1 87.8 39.0 93.7 87.1 
			 Plymouth, Sutton 64.6 97.0 92.1 68.7 97.2 92.8 
			 South-West Devon 62.9 97.4 94.5 57.7 96.7 93.2 
			 Plymouth Unitary Authority 50.3 95.5 90.3 51.4 95.3 90.0 
			 Plymouth TTWA 51.4 95.8 91.3 52.5 95.9 91.2 
		
	
	
		
			  2003 
			 Area Percentage gaining five plus GCSEs at A*-C Percentage gaining one plus GCSEs at A*-G Percentage gaining five plus GCSEs at A*-G 
		
		
			 Plymouth, Devonport 41.0 93.3 85.6 
			 Plymouth, Sutton 67.3 97.5 93.2 
			 South-West Devon 61.6 98.0 94.8 
			 Plymouth Unitary Authority 53.0 95.5 89.9 
			 Plymouth TTWA 54.9 96.3 91.4

DORE Achievement Centres

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2004, Official Report, column 503W, on DORE achievement centres, when the meeting between officials and representatives of the DORE achievement centres and the dyslexia, dyspraxia and attention deficit treatment programme will take place.

David Miliband: A meeting between officials from the Department's Special Educational Needs and Disability Division and representatives of the DORE Achievement Centres/DDAT programme has been arranged for the afternoon of 19 February 2004.

Education Funding

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the formula spending share figure for Cambridgeshire for 2004–05 takes account of the requirement for Cambridgeshire to spend £4.5 million more on schools set out in the direction notice from his Department to Cambridgeshire county council.

David Miliband: The direction notice sent to Cambridgeshire county council asks the authority to increase its Schools Budget to a level consistent with full passporting. Full passporting means increasing the 2003–04 Schools Budget by the increase in the Schools Formula Spending Share from 2003–04 to 2004–05. Therefore the direction notice is based on the Schools Formula Spending Share figure for Cambridgeshire.

Information Technology

Richard Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what audit mechanisms are in place to determine whether information technology (a) hardware and (b) software products are being used properly in his Department.

Charles Clarke: All members of the Department for Education and Skills have access to the internet. Filtering software is installed to block access to inappropriate sites and all accesses are monitored and recorded. Attempts to access inappropriate sites are referred for disciplinary action—staff have to accept the conditions for use of the equipment each time they log into the network.
	Much of the software used by the Department are purchased on a corporate licence—where this is not the case records are maintained to ensure that only the number of licences purchased are used. All hardware is configured to prohibit the loading of unauthorised software.
	The Department have started to use auditing software to reconcile the amount of software in use against the central records of software purchases. It is planning to conduct three monthly audits to achieve this.
	Hardware is purchased centrally and details of all hardware items are held in an asset database. Hardware is subject to an annual audit where every item on the asset database is checked either physically or using auditing software to ensure it is still in being used correctly.
	Appropriate action is taken in any cases where hardware cannot be found.
	The Department's Internal Audit Division conduct regular audits to ensure that the conditions for use of hardware and software are both appropriate and are being enforced.

Landfill Tax Credit

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding for environmental educational initiatives will be lost by schools following the end of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme; and if he will replace such lost funding from his departmental budget.

David Miliband: The Landfill Tax Credit Scheme (LTCS) has not ended, although two of the objects of the scheme were withdrawn in April 2003, those which concerned research and development, and education on sustainable waste management. Since April 2003 a number of projects in categories c and cc have continued to be financed by legacy funding through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Welsh and Scottish Assemblies and the Northern Ireland Authorities but the current arrangements will cease at the end of March. The value of environmental education projects funded in calendar year 2003 under these categories is £71,300, although that amount may increase since claims can be made until April 2004. However, some types of education projects are currently, and will still be, eligible for funding under some of the remaining objects of the scheme, for example biodiversity.
	As part of the sustainable waste delivery public expenditure programme established as a result of the reform of the LTCS, and managed by Defra, work will be taken forward on waste awareness. Therefore, my Department has no plans to increase the level of funding for environmental educational in schools.

Local Government

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what aggregate percentage of central Government funding provided to Staffordshire local education authority is made up of the formula spending share.

David Miliband: For 2003–04 Staffordshire's local education authority formula spending share made up 84 per cent. of the total resource funding for education made available to the authority, the remaining 16 per cent. being revenue grant funding within DfES Departmental Expenditure Limits.

School Buildings

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been spent on school buildings in Chorley, broken down by school, in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The Department does not collect detailed information about work carried out, but this should be held by Lancashire LEA. The following table sets out the capital allocations made by this Department to Lancashire LEA and its schools from 1997–98 to 2003–04.
	
		Lancashire capital allocations 1997–98 to 2003–04 -- £000
		
			  Capital allocation made 
		
		
			 1997–98 13,288 
			 1998–99 16,957 
			 1999–2000 35,179 
			 2000–01 38,021 
			 2001–02 29,778 
			 2002–03 46,470 
			 2003–04 62,607

Physical Education

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average number of hours per week of physical education in schools in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire was in the last year.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is not currently held in the format requested. Detailed data on physical education and school sport is now being collected for the first time—for publication in April 2004—including the amount time spent each week on physical education in schools.

Pupil Funding

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the (a) average funding of each schoolchild in England and (b) the level of funding for a schoolchild in Shrewsbury and Atcham.

David Miliband: The average national funding for 2004–05 provided through the Education Formula Spending Share for 2004–05 is £3,515. The formula for the main primary and secondary sub-blocks comprises a basic entitlement for each pupil, which is the same across the country, plus a top-up for each pupil with additional educational needs, which is again the same across the country, plus top-ups for areas where it costs more to recruit and retain teachers. Local education authorities with a greater proportion of pupils with additional educational needs or higher average earnings will receive a higher level of funding per pupil. The Government do not directly fund school children in Shrewsbury and Atcham. The Government provide funding to Shropshire county council which is then responsible for funding its schools.

School Meals Service

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many representations he has received on the decision of Essex local education authority to delegate the school meals service to primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Since December 2003, the Department have received five representations about meals provision in Essex; three have been received from schools, including correspondence from a school via my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich. There have also been two emails—one from an Essex County Councillor and a general inquiry from Governor Line.

School Teachers

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time (i) primary and (ii) secondary school teachers were employed in the Ribble Valley and Fulwood area in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The following table shows the number of regular teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools in the hon. Gentleman's constituency at January in each year since 1997.
	
		
			Maintained primary   Maintained secondary 
			  Full-time Part-time Full-time Part-time 
		
		
			 1997 290 110 430 70 
			 1998 300 110 440 60 
			 1999 300 140 450 80 
			 2000 300 130 460 70 
			 2001 310 150 460 60 
			 2002 310 150 470 70 
			 2003 310 150 480 90 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Includes middle schools as deemed.
	2. Includes teachers on schemes leading to QTS and teachers not recognised as qualified.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Scottish Botanic Garden

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding the Scottish Botanic Garden in Edinburgh receives from his Department.

Stephen Twigg: This Department does not provide any funding for the Scottish Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. This is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

Specialist Comprehensive Schools

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the comparative performance of the 2003 Key Stage 4 performance tables of (a) specialist comprehensive schools whose admissions arrangements include selection by aptitude and (b) all other specialist comprehensive schools in respect of (i) raw scores and (ii) value added scores.

David Miliband: No assessment along these lines has been carried out by the Department.